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Uzbek demands U.S. pullout

Vladimir Radyuhin

Senate votes for resolution backing Government's order

MOSCOW: Uzbekistan's Parliament demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops deployed in the Central Asian country for the post-9/11 anti-terror operations in neighbouring Afghanistan. The Senate, upper House of Uzbekistan's Parliament, unanimously voted for a resolution that backed the Government's earlier order giving the U.S. 180 days to close its air base at Khanabad.

The base has played a key role in supporting the U.S.-led military campaign to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the Pentagon is struggling to re-deploy its 30 aircraft and 1,500 troops to other bases in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

Last month, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which unites Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, called for a deadline to the U.S. military presence in Central Asia now that "the active phase of the military anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan has finished."

A media report said recently that several hundred Russian troops have been deployed near the Khanabad base in anticipation for the U.S. withdrawal.

A military source in Moscow said the Russian military specialists will see to it that Americans hand over the equipment and infrastructure of the air base to Uzbek authorities in proper order.

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