The foreign ministry said in a statement that the airbase at Karshi-Khanabad, which American forces use to support operations in and supply humanitarian aid to neighbouring Afghanistan, was only intended for combat operations in northern Afghanistan during the overthrow of the Taliban regime after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

"Any other prospects for a US military presence in Uzbekistan were not considered by the Uzbek side," the ministry said.

Uzbekistan also claimed that the United States had not paid takeoff and landing fees for all flights to and from the base, and had offered virtually no compensation for additional costs incurred by the Uzbek authorities for guarding the base, new infrastructure, ecological damage and inconvenience to the local population.

"In the view of the foreign ministry of Uzbekistan, these considerations should be central to examining the prospects of the future presence of the US military force at the Khanabad air base," the statement concluded.

On Tuesday a regional alliance led by China and Russia, and including Uzbekistan, called for the US and its allies in Afghanistan to set a date for withdrawing from several states in central Asia, reflecting growing unease at America's military presence in the region.

After the 9/11 attacks the US struck a deal to use bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. But relations between Tashkent and Washington deteriorated after the US called for an independent inquiry into the Andijan massacre in May.