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MARCO WERMAN: A key component of any US military plans for Afghanistan is an air base in nearby Kyrgyzstan. Now, the future of that facility, the Manas Air Base, is in question. The President of Kyrgyzstan said this week he wants the base closed. He and other officials say the US government isn't paying enough rent for the facility. A vote on the matter is scheduled for next week in the Kyrgyz parliament. The BBC's Rayhan Demytrie is in the Capital, Bishkek. She says up until now, relations between the US and Kyrgyzstan had been good.

RAYHAN DEMYTRIE: Kyrgyzstan is the only pro-Soviet country which hosts both Russian and US bases. So far, they've coexisted and everything was fine, and suddenly now the Kyrgyz are saying, “We don't want to have these two bases in our country. And Russians will stay, but the Americans will have to go.”

WERMAN: How will this affect the US ability to continue to operate in Afghanistan, especially in light of Barack Obama's stated goal of increasing the US military presence there?

DEMYTRIE: Well, I think this decision, it is quite unexpected, and it is a big blow for all the efforts which the Americans were trying to make in this part of the world. Just a few weeks ago, the top U.S. General, General Petraeus, was here and he commented on the importance of this base. Because the US, as you know, they're looking for alternative supply routes and they're trying to engage northern countries which border Afghanistan. And being the only military base in central Asia, of course it was a vital transit point for NATO supplies in Afghanistan. But we'll just have to wait and see because the Americans will probably try to renegotiate the terms. They just won't give up just like that.

WERMAN: Rayhan, explain if you would Russia's role in all of this. I mean, they've just announced a $2 billion dollar package of loans and aid for Kyrgyzstan. That's a lot of money for that country, and I'm wondering is that a motivation for Kyrgyzstan to try and evict the US from the air base?

DEMYTRIE: Well, the Kyrgyz officials, they're not admitting that there's a direct link with the Russian aid package and this announcement. But of course, analysts here say that it is absolutely linked. You know, the timing of this announcement – it was made in Moscow, and then the Russians said that they're giving this generous aid package to Kyrgyzstan. Now, we have to bear in mind that it is the time of the global financial crisis, so why would they agree to give such a huge amount of money to this tiny central Asian country? But I just want to clarify that this $2 billion dollar aid package won't come in one installment. It is a long-term investment into the country's poor energy sector. And that's what, actually, people are worried about. If you go out and about in the streets of Bishkek and ask people, “What do you think about this announcement that the American base will be closed in your country?” They'll probably look at you and say, “You know what, it's really cold in my house. So I don't care.”

WERMAN: Right. How desperate are things in Kyrgyzstan, and does the desperation mostly focus around energy?

DEMYTRIE: Yes. It is focused around energy because, you know, it's wintertime. It's cold. And that's what people are concerned about. Kyrgyzstan is among the poorest of central Asian states. They don't have natural resources. They're not rich in natural gas like Turkmenistan. All they have is water resources which are used throughout central Asia, but there are still no terms agreed to earn money on that.

WERMAN: The BBC's Rayhan Demytrie, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Thanks for your time.

DEMYTRIE: Thank you very much.

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