Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev’s demands for payments for military base in Kant were unreasonable, Russia says, Kommersant reports.
Almazbek Atambayev accused Moscow on February 27 of not paying for lease of the airbase in Kant and threatened to close the place.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that article 5 of the bilateral agreement on status and conditions of the airbase in Kyrgyzstan allows the Russian military to stay without paying. The Russian debt to Kyrgyzstan concerns the base in Karakol, the 338th communication point in the Spartak Village and the seismic control center of the Russian Defense Ministry in Mayluu-Suu. Moscow may pay for the two facilities with cash or by training Kyrgyz specialists and by providing equipment.
The agreements have not been fulfilled since 2008. According to one version, The Russian ministry failed to provide military nomenclature to Bishkek. Another version states that the Defense Ministry refused to provide weapons and equipment due to instability in the area. Moscow owes $15 million, as Atambayev said. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov assured that finances will be provided within a few days.
The Kyrgyz government has recently admitted that they confused the bases. The total area of the facilities is 863 hectares and part of the Issyk-Kul Lake. $4.5 million are paid for the rent annually, the debt has reached $15 million since 2008.
