Kyrgyzstan open to air base talks with US

ALMATY Kyrgyzstan is ready for talks with the United States on the future of its Manas military airbase, which is due to be shut down in six months, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said.  In an interview with the British Television, Bakiyev said, "the doors are not closed" for talks.  "We are ready for any new proposals from the U.S. government aimed at stabilising the situation in Afghanistan," the channel quoted him as saying. The air base closure would be a setback to U.S. plans to boost its forces in Afghanistan.