U.S. official and Kyrgyz president to discuss military cooperation

The head of the U.S. military's Central Command, Gen. John Abizaid, met with the Kyrgyz president Tuesday amid efforts by the new Kyrgyz government to increase revenues from the U.S. air base in this ex-Soviet nation, officials said. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Abizaid discussed Kyrgyzstan's cooperation in the war on terror and bilateral military cooperation between the two nations, Bakiyev's office said in a statement.

Kyrgyzstan has hosted the U.S.-led air base since December 2001 to support combat operations in nearby Afghanistan. The new Kyrgyz government that came to power following the March uprising that ousted then-President Askar Akayev has sought to increase revenues from the base, according to the AP.

The U.S. and Kyrgyz officials are now reviewing terms of the U.S. military presence in Kyrgyzstan.

The Kyrgyz base has become increasingly important for the U.S. since neighboring Uzbekistan decided to stop hosting the U.S. military.

T.E.