Establishment of Russia's overseas naval bases needs careful state participation – Medvedev

26.11.2010 Creation of new Russian naval bases abroad needs close governmental attention, said Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday during the meeting with higher military commanders, RIA Novosti reports.

Russian leadership has certain plans on establishment of new overseas military bases, added Medvedev.

However, the president declined to promulgate them due to "understandable reasons".

Fuel replenishment and rest in the territory of foreign states "are important part of our mobility and security", emphasized Medvedev. According to him, permanent use of support vessels along with warships is very expensive and often extremely ineffective.

Russia's partners "have sticked" naval bases all across the world so they are in better conditions, added the president.

Nonetheless, one presidential decision is not enough for establishment of military bases, Medvedev said. Complex politico-diplomatic work is needed to make foreign states treat Russian presence like a tool for upgrading their own image and security.

As is known, Soviet Navy had naval bases in Cuba, Vietnam, Poland, Germany, Finland, Somali, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Libya. As of today, Russian Navy has technical maintenance base in Syrian port Tartus, test range at Lake Issyk Kul in Kirghizia, three communication centers in Belarus, Kirghizia, and Cuba, and Black Sea Fleet naval base in Sevastopol.

In Oct 2010 news agency Interfax-AVN reported referring to Navy Main HQ that Russian Navy would be capable to revive maintenance base in Cam Ranh, Vietnam within 3 years once the appropriate political decision is made. All documents justifying the necessity to reconstruct technical maintenance base in Asian-Pacific region have been already prepared by Russian Navy command.

Cam Ranh base is vital for support of Russian warships fighting piracy in Pacific and Indian oceans, added the source.

In 1979-2002 naval base in Cam Ranh had been jointly used by Soviet, Russian, and Vietnamese specialists.