The US is looking for alternative supply routes to Afghanistan to decrease reliance on a route through Pakistan where militants have stepped up attacks on truck convoys, Reuters reported.

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament will vote next week on whether to shut a US air base which is an important staging post for US troops in Afghanistan. The move would set a tough challenge for US President Barack Obama who plans to send more troops to boost Nato’s military effort against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said on Tuesday Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic and a traditional Russian ally, would close the Manas base after he secured Russian financial aid at talks in Moscow.

The government needs parliamentary approval to proceed with the closure but this is seen as a formality as the chamber is controlled by a pro-presidential party. A simple majority of votes is needed.

"We have included this issue in our February agenda," said Avtandil Arabayev, deputy head of the ruling Ak-Zhol party. "We did consider the possibility of voting on it tomorrow but according to the rules it will be voted on next week."

Other deputies said the assembly was all but certain to vote in favour of Bakiyev’s decision. "I have no doubt about this," said Erik Arsaliyev, head of the foreign affairs committee.

Once it has received parliamentary approval, the government would have to send Washington an official note ordering it to shut the base. After that the US military would be given 180 days to close operations and leave the mainly Muslim country.

The US says it has not received any formal communication about closing the base, home to 1,000 personnel.

The railroad route through Uzbekistan is dubbed the Northern Distribution Network and runs through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

"With Russia and with Kazakhstan there is an agreement in place for the transportation of non-lethal, non-military supplies," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named as he did not want to make public remarks on the talk’s progress.

"It’s also almost in place with Uzbekistan. In principle they have said ’yes’."

The US used to operate a military base in Uzbekistan to help operations in Afghanistan until 2005.