Last month Britain also opened its first embassy in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz
capital, a sign of the Kyrgyzstan’s growing strategic importance.
And Central Asia has assumed increased importance in the last few months
because of worsening relations between Pakistan and the US.
This has forced NATO to funnel supplies for its forces in Afghanistan through
Central Asia rather than Pakistan.
A US senate report in December said that three-quarters of all NATO supplies
travelling by land to Afghanistan transits Central Asia. The Manas airbase
outside Kyrgyzstan is also a vital cog in the US’s supply chain.
Related posts:
Aborigines granted native title over Lake Eyre
Death penalty tossed in killing of rocker's mom
US election 2012: what can stop Mitt Romney now?
Mali coup: deal begins transition back to civilian rule
Egypt anti-army protests stretch into the night
Silvio Berlusconi released from bribery trial after court rules time has run out