Russia expects to prolong presence of its military base in Tajikistan on old conditions, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said at the 62nd session of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers on Friday, RIA Novosti reports.
The Russian minister said that Tajikistan benefits from investments, taxes and workplaces provided by the Russian base. He reminded that Russian and Tajik presidents ordered their ministers to prepare a new leasing agreement by October.
The Russian base in Tajikistan is the largest Russian ground base abroad. It has some 7,000 servicemen. It is part of the Middle Asian security system. Negotiations on the base have been ongoing since 2008. The base will remain until 2014. Russia is not paying for the base and provides technical assistance instead.
