US Military to Finance Renovation of Uzbek Air Base

The US military is planning to spend upwards of $5 million on refurbishing Khanabad air base in Uzbekistan. A few days after the US announcement, Uzbek President Islam Karimov suggested that he expects the international community to continue helping Uzbekistan with infrastructure development and other assistance as part of its reconstruction effort in neighboring Afghanistan.

The UzReport.com web site reported July 30 that US and Uzbek contractors had been invited to submit bids to make improvements at Khanabad, which has served as a major US staging base for ongoing operations in Afghanistan. The US military intends to refurbish the runway at the air base and build additional facilities.

News of the renovation comes after a chemical contamination scare at the air base. News agencies reported in June that traces of nerve gas had been found in three locations at Khanabad. Some experts have suggested that biological weapons may have been stockpiled at the base during the late Soviet era, when the base served as logistics support facility for the Red Army's ill-fated 1979-89 occupation of Afghanistan.

In addition, sources told EurasiaNet that the high number of headaches and assorted illness among Uzbek military personnel at Khanabad had prompted concern about possible radiation dangers. However, tests conducted by the Uzbek Ministry of Defense in mid July found the radiation levels at the base to be within normal standards.

Uzbekistan, one of Afghanistan's northern neighbors, has emerged as a key US ally since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Some political analysts have maintained that the US-Uzbek partnership is based on a quid pro quo in which Uzbekistan receives economic and military assistance in return for giving American forces access to Uzbek military facilities. About 1,500 US military personnel are based at Khanabad.

Some regional analysts say that the move to refurbish Khanabad provides evidence that US forces are preparing for a prolonged stay in the region. Political analyst Sergei Tunik, writing in the Kazakhstani daily Express K, indicated that the US desire to maintain a military presence both in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan is connected with the development of the region's natural resources. Tunik specifically cited a project being developed by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan to build a trans-Afghan pipeline, creating an export route for Turkmen natural gas. The three countries signed a memorandum of understanding to in late May to proceed with the project. "For the USA, the pipeline is one more reason for 'lingering on' in Central Asia," Tunik wrote.

Karimov, in a interview given as he was returning from a late-July state visit to Japan, offered insight into his expectations for Tashkent's strategic partnership with the US-led anti-terrorism coalition, saying Uzbekistan deserves to be generously compensated.

"We have a direct link with Afghanistan through the Termez bridge," Karimov told Uzbek television, which broadcast the interview August 2. "Japan, the United States or any other country, when formulating their plans on the implementation of projects in Afghanistan, will certainly take into account Uzbekistan and its transport opportunities – not only transport, but also building materials, development issues, irrigation and the restoration of [the] agriculture [sector]."

"Our opportunities [enable us] to cooperate with investor countries, as well as think of our own benefit," Karimov said. "This is no secret. Aid is aid, and first of all [it should go] to help the Afghan people. But countries do not implement projects for free of charge. Everyone should understand this."

Washington has generally acted to fulfill Uzbekistan's assistance expectations. However, in recent months some officials and analysts have expressed concern over Uzbekistan's difficulties in implementing structural economic reforms, including currency stabilization measures, mandated by the International Monetary Fund. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

During a mid-July tour of Central Asia, US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill expressed confidence that Uzbekistan would comply with the terms of the IMF Staff Monitored Program, which specifies that the Uzbek government take steps to make the national currency, the som, fully convertible.

"I have no questions and doubts about the final goals of the [Uzbek reform] process," O'Neill said in comments broadcast by Uzbek television July 17. "Uzbekistan is moving with the speed that it thinks is necessary.