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Bishkek is not focused on amount of lease fees for Russian military bases

The agreement on the status and deployment terms of a Russian airbase in Kyrgyzstan of September 22, 2003 is in force till 2020

BISHKEK, July 12 (Itar-Tass) —— The amount of lease fees for Russian military facilities in Kyrgyzstan is not of principle importance for Kyrgyzstan, Sapar Isakov, director of the foreign policy department of the Kyrgyz president’s administration, said on Thursday, commenting on the republic’s Defence Minister Taalaibek Omuraliyev Wednesday statement that the republic planned to raise the lease fees starting from 2014.

“Now we are discussing a Kyrgyz-Russian draft agreement on the terms of deployement and the status of Russia’s military bases in Kyrgyzstan,” he said. “Russia is our key strategic partner and we are committed to our liabilities.”

He reminded that the agreement on the status and deployment terms of a Russian airbase in Kyrgyzstan of September 22, 2003 is in force till 2020. “Moreover, the July 5, 2017 agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia on the procedure of the use of Russian military facilities and the status of Russian servicemen has been automatically extended till 2017,” Isakov noted. He stressed that his statement was prompted by “ambiguous interpretation” of the Kyrgyz defence minister’s interview by Russia media.

“The deployment of Russia military facilities in Kyrgyzstan is regulated by relevant bilateral agreements that strictly regulate the procedure and terms of the Russian servicemen stay in our country,” he added.