The Pentagon is rejecting demands by Kyrgyzstan to pay for the past use of Manas air base, a key military facility for US aircraft flying missions to Afghanistan.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev wants the Pentagon to pay about $80m to compensate Kyrgyzstan for previous payments related to US use of the air base that it alleges were siphoned out of the country by fuel supply companies closely tied to the former regime of President Askar Akayev.