Kyrgyzstan presses Russia on troops

FT.com:

Kyrgyzstan held out the possibility of reviewing an air base deal with the US in an apparent effort to persuade Russia on Tuesday to provide peacekeeping forces to quell unrest in the south of the country. A fragile peace returned to the embattled city of Osh. But Kyrgyz authorities feared the violence could return, or spread to other southern cities.

Roza Otunbayeva, Kyrgyzstan’s interim leader, said she was still in talks with Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, about bringing in peacekeeping troops to help separate the combatants. Russia has so far opposed the plan. Ruslan Kazakpaev, Kyrgyzstan’s interim foreign minister, said the government might review a decision to extend a US lease on an air base at Manas, used for ferrying troops to Afghanistan. The Kremlin opposes the US base. It considers Kyrgyzstan to be in a Russian “zone of privileged interest”.

Mr Kazakpaev said a review could follow elections in October. “It’s possible, that the question might be looked at by the new parliament after its formation but until then, Kyrgyzstan will fulfil its international obligations,” he said, adding: “The Russian Federation was and remains the main strategic partner for Kyrgyzstan.” Mr Kazakpaev’s comments will harden speculation Russia might be holding out for some sort of commitment to close the US base as a condition for intervening to end the fighting. The US, keen to maintain its use of Manas, has made clear it would not welcome unilateral Russian action. But Washington is also seeking to counter the impression it cares only about the future of the air base rather than the fate of Kyrgyzstan itself.

“We are committed to Kyrgyzstan; we want to be supportive,” said the state department, stressing the US had provided $800,000 in aid for a possible 80,000-200,000 displaced people. “There is in fact an emerging humanitarian crisis in Kyrgyzstan, and we are responding.” While the US has stressed the importance of working through multilateral agencies, Russia has so far refused to send troops, except for a single battalion of paratroopers deployed to protect Russian military installations and civilians, which arrived on Saturday. In spite of the turmoil, Ms Otunbayeva on Tuesday reiterated her commitment to hold a referendum amending the constitution on June 27, which would lead to elections on October 10.