Uzbekistan restricts US military's use of air base
Everyone go outside and wave bye-bye to President Karimov of Uzbekistan.
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WASHINGTON (AFP) Jun 15, 2005 Uzbekistan has placed restrictions on the US military's use of its Kharshi-Khanabad air base, including a ban on night flights, a Pentagon spokesman Wednesday. The action followed US and international demands for an investigation into the reported killings of hundreds of people by Uzbek security forces during a crackdown on demonstrations at Andijan on May 13.
The restrictions were imposed within the past couple of weeks, said Bryan Whitman, a Defense Department spokesman, who added that the US Central Command has made temporary adjusgements in operations affected by the action.
"There have been some limitations placed on the use of the airfield by Uzbekistan," said Whitman.
Whitman declined to provide details but confirmed that the restrictions include a halt to night operations at the base, a key logistics hub to resupply US and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan.
The Washington Post reported that the Central Command has moved HC-130 search and rescue and tanker aircraft to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan because of the ban on night flights.
The Post said the Uzbeks also put restrictions on C-17 cargo flights into Kharshi-Khanabad, or K-2 as the military calls it, forcing the command to route those flights through Manas air base in Kyrgyzstan.
Whitman stressed the importance of K-2 to US operations in Afghanistan.
"But at the same time the United States government has called on the Uzbeks to conduct a full and transparent inquiry into the Andijan incident. That is the stated policy of the United States government," he said.
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