Ambassador Spratlen's Interview to Turkish National Channel

March 7, 2012

TRT:  Madame Ambassador, President Atambaev stated that the Transit Center will leave Kyrgyzstan as the agreement ends. If the agreement is not extended, what will be the next steps of the U.S.?

Ambassador Spratlen:  Thank you for your question.

Before I answer it I’d like to just make a general observation about the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic and note that on February 1^st the United States broke ground on a brand new embassy.  We did that in celebration of 20 years of diplomatic relations with the Kyrgyz Republic.  And I’d just like for your viewers to know that our relationship with the Kyrgyz Republic is very broad.  It stretches across a great number of issues well beyond security to include economic development, to include cultural exchanges, the development of civil society, health, education, and many-many areas.  And over the years we’ve been very proud to develop this relationship based on mutual interest and mutual respect.  I think the construction of the new embassy is a symbol that the United States wishes to continue and deepen its broad relationship with the Kyrgyz Republic.

Now with respect to the transit center, of course we can’t engage in any speculation about the future, but I would say that the issue is very-very serious and we look forward to discussions with our Kyrgyz partners about the future of the transit center after the expiration of the current agreement in 2014 and I’d just like to underscore that we have been very grateful to the Kyrgyz for cooperation over ten years at the transit center, and the reaffirmation of the agreement to stay the course on the current transit center agreement until its expiration in 2014.

TRT: Considering the U.S. Government’s decision to withdraw the troops from Afghanistan in 2014, how justified is it to extend the TC agreement or establish a new military base in Kyrgyzstan or in Central Asia?

Ambassador Spratlen:  Again, I think it’s very important for us not to get ahead of ourselves and to speculate about the future.  We look forward to very sober discussions with the government of the Kyrgyz Republic about the future of the transit center, and of course we’ll be very mindful of the situation in Afghanistan itself.

As you know, the situation there is a great challenge, but international partners are working every day to help the Afghans strengthen their security forces and to help the Afghan political elite.

Those goals depend on the Afghans.  And because the situation is fluid we think it’s important for everyone, all partners who are involved in helping to secure the region, to remain flexible about the future.

TRT:  To what extend it is important for the U.S. to have the Transit Center in Kyrgyzstan?

Ambassador Spratlen:  Currently the transit center is vital.  The transit center is extremely important, which is why we always underscore how grateful we are to our Kyrgyz partners for allowing us to remain here with them as hosts.

The transit center is the way in which we get troops, almost 100 percent of the troops in and out of Afghanistan.  It’s also very important for helping to fuel the air-to-air fuel for missions in Afghanistan to try to secure the space and ensure that terrorists are not able to use it as a safe haven.

So the transit center plays a very-very important military role, so it’s vital to the support functions, and we are very grateful to have that facility.

TRT:  We are all aware that the relations between the U.S. and Iran are growing tense. As a result, the Kyrgyz public is talking about a risk that Iran will attack the Transit Center at Manas. How credible is that idea?  

Ambassador Spratlen:  We consider the idea to be ridiculous.  With respect to the overall situation, of course we’re very hopeful that Iran will respect the UN requirements and come back to being a member of the international community that can be respected based on fully complying with the requirements of the UN and all of its partners.

However in the meantime I just want to underscore that the transit center at Manas International Airport has only one mission, and that is to support the stabilization of Afghanistan and the prevention of safe havens emerging there.  That it its only mission.  One mission.  I underscore that.  It’s very very important.  And any reports of any other mission as my colleague in Moscow, Ambassador McFaul has said, any other reports of another mission are false.

TRT:  There is one more question we’d like to ask.  It’s regarding those people who are busy with cultivating agriculture on the transit center Manas base.  They recently stated that because of United States Air Force jettisoning their oil, gas, some of their cultivations are being harmed. In this regard, what kind of measures have you taken lately?

Ambassador Spratlen:  Thank you for your question.  This is an issue that comes up often and we frequently are asked to respond and our response is the same. 

The jettisoning of fuel is an extremely rare event and there is absolutely no scientific evidence that there has ever been any harm to the Kyrgyz environment as a result of these very-very infrequent incidents.

What is the United States doing?  We have taken the environment very-very seriously.  We try to be a good steward of the environment and the transit center colleagues are constantly willing to discuss issues and talk to the government of the Kyrgyz Republic about what we are doing.  And a number of Kyrgyz government experts also have confirmed what I am saying today; there is no scientific basis for any claims of environmental damage as a result of the transit center’s presence.

TRT:  Thank you.