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Moscow may consider use of Gabala radar in missile defense system

Moscow and Baku agreed on a 10-year-lease of the Gabala radar in 2002

MOSCOW, November 24 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow may consider using the Gabala radar in Azerbaijan as an element of its missile defense system, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Nikolai Bordyuzha told a news briefing on Thursday.

"The Gabala radar is used in Russian internets," Bordyuzha said, there is the relevant agreement, "if we need to use this segment in the Russian missile defense system, Moscow will raise the issue of prolonging the agreement."

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has stated its intention to hike the payment for the use of the facility. On Wednesday, Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said the Gabala radar rent for Russia should be increased to several hundred million dollars.

"On the one hand, we regard the current sum of the rent, which amounts to seven million dollars, as inadequate to the value and significance this radar has for Russia from the point of view of its national interests, and, on the other, to the risks and threats Azerbaijan might encounter in case the radar continues to function. Considering the possible limit of the rent, we assume it might be around several hundred million dollars. It would conform to international experience, including the Russian Federation's practice in the context of similar agreements with other countries," Azimov said in an exclusive interview to the republic's 1.news information agency.

Moscow and Baku agreed on a 10-year-lease of the Gabala radar in 2002. The lease agreement expires in 2012.