RUSSIA HOSTS EX-SOVIET SECURITY SUMMIT
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
MOSCOW: Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev is hosting a summit of
leaders of six other ex-Soviet nations for talks on strengthening
their security alliance.
Medvedev is meeting with the leaders of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – members of the Moscow-dominated
Collective Security Treaty Organization.
The security pact helps the Kremlin maintain its clout in the former
Soviet backyard.
Wednesday’s meeting follows Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s
statement Tuesday that his country decided to end the U.S. lease of
a key air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan.
Bakiyev made the statement after Russia agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan
with $2 billion in loans plus $150 million in financial aid.