Kyrgyzstan: Batken facility "not oriented against third countries"

First, the speculation was that the U.S.-funded anti-terror center in Kyrgyzstan's Batken region was a U.S. ploy for geopolitical influence. Then, it was a Kyrgyz move to thwart Uzbekistani activities in Batken. Now, official Bishkek says it is none of the above:

On March 17, 2010 Kyrgyz Defense Ministry disseminated the press-releasing, indicating that the construction of the anti-terrorist training center in the Batken Oblast is "the bilateral Kyrgyz-American relations project against international terrorism and religious extremism, transnational organized crime, prevention of drug smuggling, not oriented against third countries and does not conflict with national obligations under CSTO and other international organizations".

As that story, from Ferghana.ru, points out, the Kyrgyz statement went on to imply that the initiative for the project was the American side, while the U.S. Embassy statement said that it was a Kyrgyzstan request. The rollout of this center, from a PR perspective, has been a little rocky...