KYRGYZSTAN SAYS RUSSIANS WILL RETAIN MILITARY PRESENCE

RIA Novosti
13:21 | 25/ 03/ 2008

BISHKEK, March 25 (RIA Novosti) – Kyrgyzstan has never questioned the
presence of Russian troops and military facilities on its territory
and has no plans for their withdrawal, the Kyrgyz defense minister
said on Tuesday.

"The agreement on the presence is automatically extended each year,"
Ismail Isakov said, adding that, "it is beneficial for both sides."

The minister said that Russia annually pays some $4.5 million to
Kyrgyzstan for the military bases and also provides Bishkek with
military and technical equipment as part of the lease agreements.

He added that this year Kyrgyzstan expects to receive from Moscow
military and technical equipment worth $2.5 million.

The minister also said Russia has a naval base on the shores of
Late Issyk-Kul, a Russian air base in Kant and military units in
Chaldovar village.

The minister’s statement comes in the wake of Kyrgyz President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s announcement last month that Bishkek would
eventually demand that the United States close down its Ganci airbase
at Manas airport, some 30 kilometers (17 miles) east of the capital,
which supports antiterrorism operations in Afghanistan.

Although Russia has encouraged Bishkek to demand the withdrawal of
American troops, the impoverished nation of five million depends on
U.S. support and the military base has generated jobs and is a strong
contributor to the Kyrgyz economy.

Russia established in October 2003 its own airbase in Kant, about
20 miles west of the Kyrgyz capital. The Russian base currently
deploys about 400 troops, as well as 20 combat and transport planes,
helicopters, and L-39 trainers.

Russian troops are stationed at Kant under an agreement in the
framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a
regional security bloc in Central Asia, which also includes Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.