DUSHANBE, June 4, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A top U.S. official has hailed the support provided by Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to international operations in Afghanistan, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Nisha Desai Biswal, U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, expressed Washington''s gratitude to Kyrgyzstan for the use of the Manas air base near Bishkek, which she said had "played a very important role during the entire effort in Afghanistan."

The United States officially ended its use of Manas on June 3.

Biswal also praised Tajikistan''s contributions to the success of the Northern Distribution Network.

Biswal spoke to RFE/RL in Dushanbe on June 3 after taking part in a two-day session of the U.S.-Tajikistan Annual Bilateral Consultations.

She said that U.S.-Tajik economic and security cooperation had been discussed, as well as issues related to the drawdown of foreign troops in Afghanistan.