BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, June 23, SPA -- A parliamentary committee on Tuesday backed a deal that allows the United States to ship non-lethal military supplies through a Kyrgyz air base toAfghanistan _ four months after the Central Asian nationordered the eviction of U.S. troops from the base, according to a report of The Associated Press. The accord to use Manas airport as «center of transitshipments» falls short of U.S. hopes of maintaining thefacility as a full-fledged military air base. The deal was backed by the Kyrgyz parliament's defensecommittee and now goes to the full parliament for a vote _expected later this week. Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbaev told the committee thatunder the new agreement, rent for the base will increase to$60 million per year from the current $17 million. U.S. officials at the embassy in the Kyrgyz capital,Bishkek, said they were unable to provide immediate commenton the deal.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/677450