11 October 2005
Kyrgyzstan Lets Coalition Forces Stay Until Afghanistan Stable, October 11, 2005 (Ganci Airbase to support counterterrorism mission, Rice, Kyrgyz president agree)
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a joint statement October 11 in Bishkek expressing support for the presence of coalition forces in the Kyrgyz Republic “until the mission of fighting terrorism in Afghanistan is completed.”
The statement said the Krygyz Republic “recognizes the important contribution of the international anti-terrorist Coalition, located at the Ganci Airbase, in strengthening regional stability.”
The U.S. military has maintained a presence at the Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan since December 2001 to support coalition efforts in Afghanistan. The base is known informally as Ganci Air Base, after Peter Ganci, the chief of the New York City Fire Department who was killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The Kyrgyz Republic also said it will work to strengthen democratic principles inside the country and continue its battle against corruption.
Rice is scheduled to continue on to Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12; Astana, Kazakhstan, October 12-13; and Dushanbe, Tajikistan, October 13.
The purpose of Rice’s trip to Central Asia is “to advance bilateral and regional cooperation on security issues, to promote freedom through democratic and market-oriented reform, and to strengthen security in the region, including cooperation on counter-terrorism.” (See related article.)
Following is the State Department announcement of the joint statement:
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U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
October 11, 2005
Statement by Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC ON THE PRESENCE OF THE U.S. MILITARY IN THE REGION
Following is the text of a joint statement issued by the United States of America and the Kyrgyz Republic on the Presence of the U.S. Military in the Region.
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Kyrgyzstan understands the need to resolve urgently the military and political situation in Afghanistan, to contain the sources of terrorism and to create peaceful conditions for the social, economic and democratic development of the country.
In this regard, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic recognizes the important contribution of the international anti-terrorist Coalition, located at the Ganci [Manas] Airbase, in strengthening regional stability. The Kyrgyz side will continue to take part in these and other joint efforts of the international community to contend with modern-day challenges and threats to security.
We support the presence of Coalition Forces in the Kyrgyz Republic until the mission of fighting terrorism in Afghanistan is completed, a mission supported by the United Nations.
The governments of the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic express their readiness to review the transparency of investments made for the use of the Manas Airport and at the same time to discuss other organizational and technical questions.
Regarding its domestic policy, Kyrgyzstan intends to continue its orientation toward strengthening democratic principles and carrying out a decisive battle against corruption in order to create the necessary conditions for sustainable development.
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