Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev, right, with Kyrgyz
President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Kyrgyzstan nailed down
a
promise of debt relief and billions in aid from Russia,
and
announced plans to close a U.S.
air base crucial to
the
war in Afghanistan.
Vremya, Russia
Kyrgyzstan Leader Plays Russians Against Americans
"On the one hand, having made the decision to remove the
American Air Base, President Bakiyev has managed to obtain a $2 billion credit
from Russia. On the other - like a politically 'bullying' stock broker - with
his decision, he managed to raise the stock price of his country in
Washington."
By Arkadiy Dubnov
Translated By Yekaterina Blinova
February 20, 2009
Russia - Vremya - Original
Article (Russian)
The Kyrgyzstan
Parliament voted almost unanimously yesterday to denounce the agreement with Washington on the U.S.
military's Manas Air Base at the Manas
International Airport
in Bishkek. Seventy-eight members voted "yea" with two abstentions,
and one "nay" vote. This one vote of opposition came, as expected,
from the chief of the Baktybek Beshimov faction of the Social-Democratic Party,
who called the decision "premature." He noted that the Manas Air
Base, like the Russian base in the city of Kante, "is an important link in
the collective security system of Eurasia… and that the weakening of that
system opens the way for extremism and terrorism."
[Editor's Note on
the Kyrgyz Parliament: A number of groups and factions allegedly linked to
organized crime jockey for power in the legislature. In March 2005, three of
the then 75 members of parliament elected were assassinated, and another member
was assassinated in May 2006, shortly after winning his murdered brother's seat
in a by-election. READ The Tulip Revolution].
A substantial debate on the
issue among MPs never occurred. The bill denouncing the "basic"
agreement was guaranteed the necessary 46 votes in the 90-member chamber, since
the pro-government party Light Path [Ak Zhol] holds an absolute
majority.
The desired atmosphere for
the vote was provided by a statement by Light Path MP Raisa Sidorenko, who
informed her colleagues that "since the Manas Air base has been present in
Kyrgyzstan, almost 160 tons of aviation fuel had been dumped [by the United
States] in the Chuskaya Valley." Then referring to the analysis of
specialists, Ms. Sidorenko noted that "one liter of kerosene can pollute a
million liters of water." According to Sidorenko, because of the dumping
of the fuel, "almost 92,000 inhabitants of the Chuskaya region have been
left without a harvest, and even the deaths of cattle have been observed."
Whether a similar loss of cattle had been registered in other regions of the
republic that haven't been impacted by American kerosene, the minister did not
report. It is also unclear whether the people of the Chuskaya region who lost
their crops will file suit against the air base.
[According to the BBC, the
decision to kick the Americans out of Manas Air Base came just hours after
Moscow gave Kyrgyzstan a $2 billion loan].
Now the bill passed by Parliament must be signed by Kyrgyz
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, after which
the U.S. Embassy will be informed of the rejection of the agreement. And only
then will the 180-day countdown begin which, according to the agreement with
the Americans, must be given to the U.S. military to remove its presence in Bishkek.
Nevertheless, Washington
still doesn't consider the decision inevitable. As official Pentagon spokesman
Brian Whitman said yesterday, after receiving news from Bishkek about the
Kyrgyzstan Parliament’s decision, "we continue to consider what we might be able to offer the [Kyrgyzstan] government, but we
are not prepared to stay at any price, and will continue explore other options
that are available to us."
This statement
corresponds to the forecast made yesterday by the director of the International
Crisis Group's Central Asia Project, Paul Quinn-Judge: "Now Kyrgyzstanis
will await action by the American side. Even after the signature of President
Bakiyev, the U.S.
will have 180 days to persuade the Kyrgyzstanis to reconsider …"
Such a
possibility exists. But it should be borne in mind that the decision of the
Kyrgyz Parliament truly reflects the public mood in the country. To put it
mildly, "The Adventures of Americans" in Kyrgyzstan throughout the past
seven years of Manas' existence have not endeared them to the population.
1. Manas airbase: The only U.S. base in Central Asia, a vital
transit point for NATO
operations. Kyrgyzstan wants it closed.
2. Karshi-Khanabad
airbase: U.S. forces were ordered out
in
2005. Uzbekistan may agree to
allow its non-military use.
3. Bridge over Panj River: Partly funded by the U.S., it was
done in 2007. May serve as
another supply route to Afghanistan.
4. Khyber Pass: Most supplies to U.S. and NATO troops come
through Pakistan. Increasing number of
attacks in the area mean
the US army is looking for back-up
routes.
The well-known
American expert on Central Asian studies from Columbia University, Alexander
Cooley, has been forced to admit: "When in 2001 the U.S. established a
base in Kyrgyzstan, it offered a $2 million rental fee, and negotiated a
contract with friends and relatives of former president Askar Akaev for the
delivery of fuel and maintenance … American officials couldn't understand that
they were stuffing the pockets of Kyrgyzstani bureaucrats." Mr. Cooley
criticized the way administrators at the Manas Air Base interact with the
people of Bishkek, who believe that all the benefits from the American base go
to Kyrgyz bosses and contractors.
Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US
Criticism from
Defense Secretary Robert Gates was aimed in a different direction: "I think the Russians are trying to have it both
ways with respect to Afghanistan in terms of Manas," the Pentagon boss said yesterday. "Moscow is making
positive noises about working with us in Afghanistan, while they seem to be
working against us with respect to the airfield, which plays an important role
for us." A few hours later, after arriving in Krakow [Poland] for an
informal meeting of NATO defense ministers, Gates said the United States,
"may consider increasing the fees for Manas to preserve the option to
continue using it, but there are limits" [quote translated from
Russian].
Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US
These words by
Gates, apparently, are just the signal so long awaited by Bishkek's White
House, that is, the residence of the president and government of Kyrgyzstan. And
now, no matter how events evolve, the main beneficiary will be the president,
Kurmanbek Bakiyev. On the one hand, having made the decision on Manas, he
managed to obtain $2 billion in credit from Russia. On the other - like a
"bullying" political stock broker - with his decision, he managed to
raise the stock price of his country in Washington.
Now, whenever presidential elections are called in Kyrgyzstan - whether this year or
next - President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s
election for a second term is assured.
CLICK
HERE FOR RUSSIAN VERSION
[Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US February 27, 9:03pm]
