BISHKEK. Oct 25 (Interfax) - One Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan's territory is enough for the country, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said.
"One base, the Russian military base in Kant, is currently active in our territory. One is enough for us," Japarov said during a press conference on Saturday.
"We don't want to play cat and mouse by having two bases of the two world powers," Japarov said, answering a journalist's question as to whether the Kyrgyz authorities would permit the opening of a U.S. military base in its territory in light of the situation in Afghanistan.
The Ganci Air Base was deployed at Manas International Airport in December 2001 after the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Kyrgyzstan and the United States. It was named after Peter Ganci Jr., a firefighter who died extinguishing the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. In 2005, it was renamed Manas Air Base, and in 2009, the Manas Transit Center.
In 2013, the government of Kyrgyzstan decided to remove the center from the country. The ceremony to close the facility took place on June 3, 2014.
Russia's Kant combined military base is situated in the Chui region of Kyrgyzstan. It's an element of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force that contributes to the provision of the airspace security of Collective Security Treaty Organization member states. The base operates Su-25 attack planes and Mi-8 helicopters.