BISHKEK, December 15 (RIA Novosti, Yulia Orlova) - Kyrgyzstan intends to raise the rent for a U.S. air base in its territory by several dozen times, the president of the Central Asian republic told foreign reporters Thursday.
"There is no room for bargaining here," Kurmanbek Bakiyev said. "We must proceed from market trends."
Kyrgyzstan said the United States would have to pay world prices for renting the international Manas airport in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.
"We support the anti-terrorist operation and therefore are providing our territory for the efforts," Bakiyev said. "But considering our living standards, it would be justified to charge international rates."
A few months ago, Kyrgyzstan began negotiations with the U.S. to review a bilateral agreement on the base, which is used to conduct anti-terrorist operations in Afghanistan.
