Kyrgyz parliament ends Manas agreements

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has voted to rescind the agreements with 11 countries that allowed them to place military contingents at Manas airbase.

Eighty MPs voted for the termination of the agreements with the countries (Australia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Turkey, France), while one voted against and one abstained.

On February 20, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a decree to close the Manas base operated by US in northern Kyrgyzstan.

On Wednesday Bakiyev gave reasons for the decision, stressing that Kyrgyzstan had requested changes of terms from the United States but with no new results.

The facility had been used since 2001 to support NATO operations in Afghanistan.