WINDHOEK, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - The creation...

The Kyrgyz parliament ratified on Wednesday agreements concluded by Kyrgyzstan and the U.S. on June 22 on the establishment of a transit center at Manas airport to provide support for operations conducted by U.S.-led international forces in nearby Afghanistan.

"I believe this will only benefit the common cause, the common fight against terrorism," Dmitry Medvedev said.

In February, the ex-Soviet Central Asian state ordered the shutdown of the base, which has been used to support U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan since 2001. The decision was widely seen as being influenced by Russia, which had just granted Kyrgyzstan a large financial aid package.

The new agreement has been signed for a 1-year term and envisions annual U.S. payments of $60 million to the Kyrgyz budget for the use of the center - more than triple the former sum of $17.4 million.

Washington will also allocate $36.6 million for the construction of additional aircraft parking and storage facilities,

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