Pille1234
07-08-2005, 10:54 AM
Uzbekistan Hints U.S. Should Pay For Airbase
By SHAMIL BAIGIN, *******, MOSCOW
Uzbekistan has suggested the United States should pay for the use of an airbase set up to support operations in Afghanistan if Washington wants to keep its presence in the region.
The Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s statement followed calls earlier in the week by it and other Central Asian countries for U.S. troops to fix a date for their departure from their bases.
“Payment for take-offs and landings of U.S. flights at the airbase from the first days of using the airfield until now has not been made,” said the statement, issued late on July 7.
“These principal considerations should be central to the discussion of the question of the prospects of the future presence of the U.S. military contingent at the Khanabad airbase.”
Washington has used Central Asia as a stepping stone to Afghanistan since the post-Sept. 11, 2001, U.S.-led war to oust Afghanistan’s Taliban regime accused of harbouring al Qaeda.
It was granted airbases by Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as overflight permits, by Kazakhstan and has shown no sign of wanting to give the bases up.
Uzbekistan reminded U.S. troops their stay is temporary.
“The use of the Khanabad airbase ... has always been ... directly conditional on the carrying out of a military operation in northern Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has not considered other prospects for the U.S military contingent to be on the territory of Uzbekistan,” the statement said.
There was no immediate response from Washington.
Uzbekistan has already imposed limitations on flights to the base following Western criticism of a bloody government suppression of a rebellion in the eastern town of Andizhan.
The Uzbek government says its troops opened fire on “terrorists” and puts the death toll at 176, while witness say 500 people died including unarmed civilians in what Western politicians branded a massacre.
Washington backed calls by the United Nations and European Union for an independent international inquiry into the events. The flight limitations followed.
Uzbekistan’s human rights record has been much criticized by rights groups who say the ex-Soviet state, which tolerates only state-sponsored Islam, has jailed thousands of political and religious dissidents.
President Islam Karimov says tough policies are needed to fight Islamists seeking to overthrow the secular government.
:lol:
Looks like Karimov is still angry.
By SHAMIL BAIGIN, *******, MOSCOW
Uzbekistan has suggested the United States should pay for the use of an airbase set up to support operations in Afghanistan if Washington wants to keep its presence in the region.
The Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s statement followed calls earlier in the week by it and other Central Asian countries for U.S. troops to fix a date for their departure from their bases.
“Payment for take-offs and landings of U.S. flights at the airbase from the first days of using the airfield until now has not been made,” said the statement, issued late on July 7.
“These principal considerations should be central to the discussion of the question of the prospects of the future presence of the U.S. military contingent at the Khanabad airbase.”
Washington has used Central Asia as a stepping stone to Afghanistan since the post-Sept. 11, 2001, U.S.-led war to oust Afghanistan’s Taliban regime accused of harbouring al Qaeda.
It was granted airbases by Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as overflight permits, by Kazakhstan and has shown no sign of wanting to give the bases up.
Uzbekistan reminded U.S. troops their stay is temporary.
“The use of the Khanabad airbase ... has always been ... directly conditional on the carrying out of a military operation in northern Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has not considered other prospects for the U.S military contingent to be on the territory of Uzbekistan,” the statement said.
There was no immediate response from Washington.
Uzbekistan has already imposed limitations on flights to the base following Western criticism of a bloody government suppression of a rebellion in the eastern town of Andizhan.
The Uzbek government says its troops opened fire on “terrorists” and puts the death toll at 176, while witness say 500 people died including unarmed civilians in what Western politicians branded a massacre.
Washington backed calls by the United Nations and European Union for an independent international inquiry into the events. The flight limitations followed.
Uzbekistan’s human rights record has been much criticized by rights groups who say the ex-Soviet state, which tolerates only state-sponsored Islam, has jailed thousands of political and religious dissidents.
President Islam Karimov says tough policies are needed to fight Islamists seeking to overthrow the secular government.
:lol:
Looks like Karimov is still angry.