Kyrgyzstan stalls U.S. airbase closure vote

By Olga Dzyubenko

BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan delayed a parliamentary vote on the closure of a U.S. air base on Monday by agreeing to send additional paperwork to the chamber, potentially giving Washington more time to try to dissuade it.

The former Soviet republic said last week its decision to shut the Manas base, a key staging post for U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan, was final. However, it has yet to send Washington a formal eviction note.

"We (recommend) the government also submit other draft laws related to the closure," said Leila Sadykova, head of the parliamentary defense committee which formally approved the government's decision to shut down the base on Monday.

"We recommend that all these agreements be considered by parliament together," she said, referring to a broader international package of accords that includes a clause on the U.S. use of Manas. Such a review is certain to delay the vote by at least several days.

The United States says negotiations over Manas are still continuing. Kyrgyzstan, which needs parliamentary approval to go ahead with the decision, has denied that, and its officials on Monday refused to comment.

Observers said the delay, however technical, most likely signaled that negotiations were going on behind closed doors.

"I don't think it (parliament voting) will happen any time over the next few days," said Iskhak Masaliyev, a member of parliament. "There must be political reasons to this."

AID PROMISE