This is the second time in modern Kyrgyzstan’s history when its president meets an American counterpart. Kyrgyz President Roza Otumbayeva shook hands with U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama in New York on 24 September. A similar case had taken place in 2002 when ex-President George W. Bush received our ex-President Askar Akayev in the White House to discuss the then recently established NATO-led Manas anti-terror coalition’s air base just about 30 miles away from Bishkek.

Mr Obama “expressed admiration” for Ms Otunbayeva and mentioned the achievements reached during her term in office thus far: removing restrictions on independent mass media, a new constitution and expected parliamentary elections only 2 weeks away. However, it does not take a genius to understand that there will be a conversation over what is now called the Transit Center at Manas.

Speaking of which, by the way, Ms Otumbayeva wants to convey a new idea that Mr Obama might not be able to easily digest – Bishkek wants to introduce a new Russian Gazprom-backed joint venture instead of the two offshore companies currently contracted by the Pentagon for supplying jet fuel.

According to Ms Otumbayeva, this will contribute to reducing corruption and increasing transparency of money the country is yielding as part of the anti-terror campaign participant. But this plan, according to Washington Post, will provide Moscow with a tool which could be used to pressure the White House and the Pentagon.

Russia itself has an airbase in Kyrgyzstan whose rent increasing terms are being currently discussed between the Kyrgyz and Russian governments. The Kyrgyz side wants an increase in the rent, which Moscow seems to be OK with but as long as they can pay in the form of weaponry and ammunition.

The host of both bases, Kyrgyzstan, suffered a major conflict in its southern regions in early summer this year which has left officially several hundred dead and economy devastated. The USA had so far provided a $32-million humanitarian assistance to the country and still continues doing so. While Ms Otumbayeva is in New York, the US Embassy in Bishkek is providing the Kyrgyz interior ministry with 27 fully equipped police vehicles and police duty gear worth $280,000 USD.

However, the Embassy, being the “face” of the USA in Kyrgyzstan, must have received alarming reports as to the aid’s allocation and decided to control the aid flow itself. On September 22, the US Embassy circulated a press release, which in part read that “the United States is opening a temporary facility, to be known as the Temporary Assistance Coordination Unit (TACU), in Osh.” The TACU will have a small office to focus directly on reconciliation and programming efforts. It also suggests that “the United States remains deeply committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Kyrgyzstan and hopes that this office will allow us to better assess the needs of the people in the southern part of the country and to coordinate with other international donors.”

Written in a very fine diplomatic language, the embassy is signaling Bishkek its discontent with the usage and allocation of its money. Hence, Ms Otumbayeva has a serious task, despite the fact she speaks English and can directly communicate with her interlocutor, to convince Mr Obama, and the Pentagon by extension, in her government’s commitment to curb corruption, and to grant the jet fuel contract to the Kyrgyz-Russian joint venture.