Official: US, Kyrgyz deal on airbase use

BISHKEK — A Kyrgyz official says the United States and Kyrgyzstan have reached a deal for use of the Kyrgyz airport to transport U.S. military supplies to Afghanistan.

The official says the deal was reached Monday to make the Manas airbase a "center of transit shipments." The Central Asian country's parliament will discuss the agreement Tuesday.

The official asked not to be named since the announcement had not yet been made.

U.S. officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Kyrgyzstan's president stunned Washington in February when he announced that his country would be evicting U.S. forces from the Manas airbase.

The base has been an important transit point for U.S. personnel and supplies heading to Afghanistan.