Russian govt. approves Kyrgyz airbase lease extension to 49 years

14:1529/05/2009

MOSCOW, May 29 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian government has approved the
49-year term of its lease of an airbase in Kyrgyzstan, with an
automatic prolongation every 25 years.
The modified agreement, which was agreed on between the Russian
Foreign Ministry and the Kyrgyz authorities, will replace the existing
deal, which specifies a 15-year lease with an automatic extension
every 5 years.
The document will soon be forwarded to Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev for signing.
Russia established in October 2003 its 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.
The Kant base is intended to provide air cover for possible operations
by CSTO joint forces in Central Asia.
Russia annually pays some $4.5 million to Kyrgyzstan for the lease of
military facilities and also provides Bishkek with military and
technical equipment as part of the lease agreements.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed a decree in February to
close down the U.S. Ganci airbase at Manas airport located 30
kilometers (17 miles) east of the capital, Bishkek.
Kyrgyzstan officially notified Washington of the termination of the
agreement on a U.S. military presence at the base, and gave it 180
days to withdraw some 1,200 personnel, aircraft and other equipment.
In April, Bakiyev signed a law ending the deployment of foreign
military contingents from Australia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, South
Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Turkey and
France, at Manas.