Kyrgyzstan: Russia denounces U.S., Kyrgyzstan air base deal

A Russian diplomat has said Russia was tricked by Kyrgyzstan over a deal with the United States to keep open a key air base in air base dealentral Asia.

The United States has agreed to pay $180 million to Kyrgyzstan to keep open the last remaining US air base in Central Asia which is used to supply troops fighting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.

The Kommersant newspaper quoted an unidentified Russian diplomat as saying Moscow viewed the US move as a trick and that Russia would soon make an "adequate response" to the deal. "The news about keeping the base was a very unpleasant surprise for us -- we did not expect such a trick," the diplomat said. "

Published by Mike Hitchen, Mike Hitchen Consulting
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