Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian nation friendly to Russia, has given the United States until mid-August to close operations at the Manas air base, an important transit point for U.S. and NATO troops fighting in nearby Afghanistan.

Security analysts have suggested Washington may opt to open a new base elsewhere in the region, Reuters reported.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, on a visit to Central Asia, said the United States was not considering the possibility.

“We’re not particularly looking for another base in the region. We’ll see how it works out,” he told reporters during a visit to the Central Asian country of Tajikistan.

The United States stepped up efforts to secure alternative supply routes to Afghanistan after Kyrgyzstan’s move.

Kyrgyzstan’s president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, announced his decision to evict U.S. troops while on a trip to Moscow where he secured a US$2 billion financial package from Russia. Russia has denied it played any role in Kyrgyzstan’s decision.

As part of its efforts, the United States has agreed with most Central Asian states and Russia to use their territory as transit points for non-military Afghan cargo.

Boucher, who met Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon as part of his visit, said transit via Tajikistan could start in months.

The United States used to operate a separate air base in another Central Asian country, Uzbekistan, but that facility was closed in 2005 as a result of a diplomatic row between Washington and Tashkent.