Kyrgyzstan's president signed a bill Friday to close a key U.S. air base used as a staging post for military operations in Afghanistan. Kurmanbek Bakiyev's signing of the legislation was the final step before authorities issue an eviction notice, which will give the United States 180 days to vacate the Manas air base, a transit point for 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo each month to and from Afghanistan, according to a report of Associated Press. U.S. officials have said they consider talks on the future of Manas still open, indicating there could be negotiations about the amount paid for maintaining the base. «This was not an unexpected move, however we have not received formal notification of the decision from the Kyrgyz foreign ministry,» said Michelle Yerkin, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek. «The 180-day clock begins upon formal diplomatic notification.» Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday in favor of the government-backed bill to cancel the lease on Manas.
