Kyrgyzstan: Obama Reaches Out to Bakiyev, Promises High Level Talks Soon

US President Barack Obama is promising to send a senior delegation to Kyrgyzstan to discuss the future of cooperation between the states, the Kyrgyz President's press service has announced.

In a personal message to Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Obama praised Kyrgyzstan's efforts to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and combat international terrorism and drug trafficking, according to the press statement issued on June 11. In addition, the Obama administration reportedly expressed a desire to strengthen bilateral ties, the statement said.

Separately, in an interview with the AKIpress news agency, political expert Alexander Knyazev claims the deal to keep the Manas air base near Bishkek open has been struck at a cost $350 million per year. "For a new agreement Kyrgyzstan insists on $350 million dollars per year, according to the preliminary information," he said on June 11. The US Embassy in Bishkek could not be immediately reached for comment.