BISHKEK, Feb 19: Kyrgyzstan’s parliament voted on Thursday to close the only US air base in Central Asia, removing one of the US military’s supply routes into Afghanistan as it prepared to send more troops.

The United States also faced reluctance from its Nato allies to provide more soldiers to complement the extra 17,000 troops it was sending to Afghanistan to tackle the Taliban insurgency.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates, attending a Nato meeting in Poland, said Washington wanted its allies to send more troops to provide security for a presidential election in Afghanistan in August but acknowledged big increases were unlikely.

Kyrgyzstan’s decision to close the US air base undermined its plans to diversify supply routes into Afghanistan after supply convoys were attacked by militants in Pakistan.

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament backed a decision by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev — announced in Moscow after he secured a $2 billion package of aid and credit from Russia — to close the Manas air base, 35km from the capital Bishkek.

Mr Bakiyev has accused Washington of refusing to pay a higher rent for using the base. Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev said Washington would be given 180 days to wrap up operations after the parliamentary decision was signed into law.

“We are prepared to look at the fees and see if there is justification for a somewhat larger payment,” Mr Gates told reporters in the Polish city of Krakow.

“But we’re not going to be ridiculous about it. We’re prepared to do something we think is reasonable. It is an important base, but it’s not so important that we’re going to waste taxpayer dollars paying something that’s exorbitant.”

The United States and its allies fly troops and supplies from bases in Europe and the Gulf and could increase this traffic to make up for the loss of Manas air base.

“We have full stockpiles ... it is an inconvenience for allies and one to regret, but we can certainly absorb it,” Nato spokesman James Appathurai said.

The closure underlined the challenges Washington faces in enlisting Russian support for its campaign in Afghanistan.

Russia says it is willing to help with the shipment of supplies through former Soviet Central Asian states, but is suspicious of any attempt by Washington to build a permanent military presence there.

A first shipment of non-military goods is expected to leave Nato member Latvia shortly, going through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Afghanistan.

The 17,000 additional troops President Obama has ordered for Afghanistan will take US troop numbers to around 55,000, in addition to the 30,000 troops from 40 other mostly Nato countries already operating in the country.—Reuters