“The Kyrgyz government took the decision to bring to a close the airbase of antiterrorist coalition,” the President Kurmanbek Bakiev told the press conference in Moscow on Tuesday February 3, while being on a working trip to the Russian capital. The leaders of the two countries have held talks and than spoke to the press.

According to Bakiev, it was not the first time when the issue of Manas airbase shut down was discussed with the Russian counterpart.

The airbase of antiterrorist coalition was established near by the Kyrgyz capital in 2001, to support military actions in progress in Afghanistan. “Kyrgyzstan agreed to assist and made its territory available for the fighting against international terrorism. We did not send our troops to Afghanistan, but gave our territory,” Bakiev said. The airbase was originally supposed to stay on Kyrgyz territory for 1-2 years.

“For the last three years we repeatedly raised the issue of economic compensation for the base in Kyrgyzstan, but we have not been understood. Furthermore, for two years we have been raising talks concerning the murder of the Kyrgyz citizen Alexander Ivanov by the American soldier. But this case remains unclear…How can we talk about sovereignty, when we can not even defend our citizens. That was the matter why the issue of American air base withdrawal appeared,” the president informed.

“The American airbase issue is in the competence of the Kyrgyz side,” Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said. According to Russian president, Kyrgyzstan and Russia will assist in handling situation in the region and help the antiterrorist coalition in future.

“Many regional issues remain unsolved while a number of countries are still in critical situation with a need of solving terrorism and drug trafficking problems. First of all these are problems of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will assist in handling the conflict situation. Peace and stability is in our best interests. We think that the cooperation with CSTO and SCO is the most priority,” Medvedev said.