Kyrgyz Interim Leader: US Base Is Safe

The Kyrgyzstan chaos shows signs of resolution today on two fronts:

• Interim leader Roza Otunbayeva tells the AP that the lease for the critical airbase used by the US in the Afghan war will be extended by a year in July.
• Ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev offered to leave the country if his safety and that of his family are guaranteed, reports the New York Times.

The latter issue will likely take some negotiating. Otunbayeva and her camp are willing to let Bakiyev go, but they accuse members of his family and inner circle of corruption. Exactly how many people will be given immunity and allowed to travel with him could be a major sticking point.
(More Kyrgyzstan stories.)