US Signs Deal With Tajikistan for Afghan Transit

Kyrgyzstan voted to oust U.S. operations after receiving more than two billion dollars in loan and aid guarantees from Moscow, which had been irked by the US military presence in Central Asia.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan Courtesy: hisownfamily.com

(DUSHANBE, Tajikistan ) - The United States and Tajikistan have signed an agreement for the transport of non-military cargoes to Afghanistan. This news comes from US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher.

“Yes, it’s done,” said Boucher, in response to a question about the long-expected transit deal with the ex-Soviet republic that neighbors Afghanistan.

The transportation of cargo bound for the war theater to support allied troops in Afghanistan could begin as soon as next month according to Boucher, who talked to reporters during his visit to the Tajik capital.

The U.S. government has been in a fix since the American military was booted from a key airbase in Kyrgyzstan.

This had been the main launching point and the last place a soldier or reporter was located before landing in Afghanistan.

Kyrgyzstan voted to oust coalition forces from the US airbase at Manas after receiving more than two billion dollars in loan and aid guarantees from Moscow, which had been irked by the US military presence in Central Asia.

“The operations we’ve conducted in Manas can be carried out elsewhere. We’re not looking for some other base in the region. We’ll see how it works out,” Boucher said.

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Special thanks to Agence Presse France