Kyrgyzstan's parliament on Thursday voted to approve the closure of the US military base, which is a key logistic center for the US-led operations in Afghanistan.

The parliament, dominated by the ruling Ak-Zhol party, voted 78-1 to pass the bill.

The United States began using the Manas air base shortly after it launched anti-terror operations in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said earlier in February he had decided to close the air base.

(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2009)