BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — U.S. General David Petraeus met leaders in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday, a day after the United States said it would build an anti-terrorism center for the country near Afghanistan.

The United States and Russia both operate military air bases in Kyrgyzstan. The visit by Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, is likely to irritate Moscow, which sees the country as part of its sphere of influence.

Petraeus arrived in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on Wednesday and met Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Both sides said little about the nature of the talks.

"D. Petraeus … thanked Kyrgyzstan for its support for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan," Bakiyev's office said in a statement.

"Kurmanbek Bakiyev said that all threats and challenges to security in Central Asia emanate from Afghanistan," it said. "With this in mind, it is in Kyrgyzstan's interests to maintain security and stability in this country, and it will continue to extend its support to help rebuild Afghanistan together with the international community."

On Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy said the $5.5 million anti-terrorist training center would be built in Batken in south Kyrgyzstan — where Russian and Kyrgyz officials had earlier said Moscow might consider building a similar military facility.

The embassy stressed in an e-mailed statement that the facility would be completed at Kyrgyzstan's request.

"The U.S. does not have and is not seeking to obtain a base in southern Kyrgyzstan," it said. "This counterterrorism training center is part of broader U.S.-Kyrgyz security cooperation.

"The counterterrorism training center will belong to the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and will be used for the training of Kyrgyz defense and security personnel," it said.

The embassy declined to comment on how the facility would affect Russian plans.

Kyrgyzstan's Defense Ministry said it could not give any details, and Russian officials were not available for comment.

The U.S. Embassy said Petraeus would spend two days in Kyrgyzstan and visit a women's support center Thursday.

Kyrgyzstan alarmed the United States last year when it said it would close the U.S. Manas air force base after receiving a promise of $2 billion in aid from Russia.

It reversed its decision after Washington paid $180 million to keep the base, vital for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Russia, while saying it does not see Washington as a strategic competitor in Central Asia, has made clear that the U.S. military presence is not welcome. The presence of the two bases has come to symbolize Russian-U.S. rivalry in the region.

Analysts say Central Asia has become increasingly susceptible to militant ideas in the past few years because of deepening gloom about economic stagnation and poverty.