Russia Promised Kyrgyzstan to Pay Debts for Leased Military Bases

29.02.2012 Russia will pay off debts for military bases leased from Kyrgyzstan within the next 10 days, Kyrgyzstani president Almazbek Atambayev told the Echo Moskvy radio on Feb 25.

According to him, that was president Medvedev's who ordered to repay debts. Atambayev said Russia had not pay for its military bases deployed in Kyrgyzstan for 4 years, and overall amount of indebtedness was about $15 mln.

For the first time, Kyrgyzstani authorities stated about the 4-year long Russia's debt late in 2011. Atambayev said his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev was not in touch with the situation, and Russian defense ministry explained the problem by lack of funds.

Four Russian military assets are based in Kyrgyzstan. They are Kant Air Base, Karakol ASW Test Range on the Lake Issyk Kul, 338-th Marevo Navy Communication Center, and seismic station of Strategic Missile Force. According to Regnum, Kyrgyzstani defense ministry emphasized that the question was not Kant Air Base, since Russia may not pay for that under the Collective Security Treaty Organization. However, as for Echo Moskvy radio, Atambayev meant just debts for the Kant air station. Also, he supposed possible closure of that military base.