Tour of US base ordered to be closed by Kyrgyzstan

(20 Feb 2009) SHOTLIST Manas Airbase 1. Aeroplane taking off 2. Close of pilot inside cockpit 3. Crew on Stratotanker KC-135 aeroplane 4. Mid of ground crew 5. Wide of airbase 6. Soldiers walking in airbase 7. Manas Airbase headquarters 8. Various of Colonel Christopher Bence, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Commander, delivering briefing 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colonel Christopher Bence, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Commander: "It won't affect them at all." (Question: No effect at all? So Manas isn't that important at all?) "Well it's a great partnership with the Kyrygz and it's a great foundation, because of we've been here so long, but the United States and all of our coalition partners have other ways and are currently sending troops and cargo through different routes into and out of Afghanistan." 10. Various of fuel truck at airbase 11. Various of troops waiting to travel to Afghanistan 12. Various of forklift truck, lifting crate to load onto plane 13. Various of C5 Galaxy plane taxiing 14. US soldiers in airbase canteen 15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Name not given, Canteen worker: "It's going to be hard for us. If the base closes many people will have to look for new jobs. And there's not much work to be found in the city." Bishkek 16. People walking on street in Bishkek 17. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, Name not given, Bishkek resident: "Maybe jobs that were available in the base were good. But other than that, against terrorism and civil attacks I don't think there were any positive signs." Manas Airbase 18. Various of troops boarding buses at airbase 19. Various of troops getting off bus 20. Various of troops walking onto aircraft 21. Various of 376th Air Expeditionary Wing sign at airbase STORY RUSHES: G01236 STORYLINE Kyrgyzstan ordered US forces on Friday to depart within six months from an air base key to military operations in Afghanistan, complicating plans to send more troops to battle rising Taliban and al-Qaida violence in the troubled region. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said, however, that he believed the base was not a "closed issue." The US has said it would consider paying more rent to keep the base open. However at the same time a spokesman for the US base, said he expected military officials to begin preparations for leaving. Pakistani militants have stepped up attacks on convoys travelling the primary supply route to Afghanistan in recent months, pushing US officials to secure alternative, northern routes through Central Asia. Manas was a vital link, serving as a transit point for 15-thousand US troops and 500 tons of cargo each month. However according to Colonel Christopher Bence, Commander of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing which is based at Manas, US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces have alterative means of getting supplies to troops. "It's a great partnership with the Kyrygz and it's a great foundation, because of we've been here so long, but the United States and all of our coalition partners have other ways and are currently sending troops and cargo through different routes into and out of Afghanistan," said Bence. There is also growing concern among Kyrygz working at the airbase that they will face a serious unemployment problem once the base is closed. Kyrgyzstan's president announced the US ouster from Manas shortly after Moscow promised 2.1 (b) billion US dollars in loans and aid to the tiny, impoverished Central Asian country. Russia insists that it did not influence the decision. Although the US insists that there is time to strike a deal to keep Manas open, Washington is trying to come up with replacement routes for men and materiel moving to and from the mountains of Afghanistan. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c2cedc897b9111450245f23361cf391a Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork