France has sought permission to station troops temporarily in Kyrgyzstan for military operations in Afghanistan, a Kyrgyz government source said. Requesting anonymity, the source told reporters that France wanted access to airfields in the central Asian country from which it could carry out missions in Afghanistan. A similar request had been made to Tajikistan, he said.
Kyrgyzstan was to consult on Saturday with the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States' Joint Security Treaty, which include Russia and Tajikistan, the source said.
The French Defence Ministry had announced Thursday that negotiations were under way with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to station six mirage 2000 D ground attack planes and two C-135refuellers which would mean mobilisation of 200 airforce personnel. A total of nearly 5,000 French soldiers would be called on for military operations in Afghanistan.
Bureau Report