BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was told in Kyrgyzstan Tuesday the U.S. air base in the former Soviet state can stay, Radio Free Europe reported.
During talks in Bishkek, Rumsfeld received a pledge from Kyrgyzstan's acting Defense Minister Ismail Isakov that the United States can maintain its Ganci base as long as needed for operations in Afghanistan, the report said.
Kyrgyzstan had previously called on the United States to set a deadline for its withdrawal of the base.
Isakov later told RFE: "In reality, there is no reason to say that the (security) situation has improved. The terrorist attacks in London, Egypt and also in Afghanistan itself prove that. That is why it is only after the situation has improved that this issue (of the base) will be considered."
Rumsfeld said: "We value the military-to-military relationship, the cooperation we have on security issues, and the global war against violent extremists."
