Kyrgyzstan will continue to support the presence of U.S. troops in the country "until the mission of fighting terrorism in Afghanistan is completed," according to a U.S. State Department press statement Tuesday. The statement said the Kyrgyz government recognized the "important contribution of the international anti-terrorist Coalition … in strengthening regional stability." The Central Asian nation is one of four countries U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is currently visiting. She has said that she will not compromise the United States' stated commitment to democracy in pursuing strategic alliances with countries in the region. Kyrgyzstan "intends to continue its orientation toward strengthening democratic principles" and to carry out "a decisive battle against corruption," according to the statement.
