Medvedev, Bakiyev to discuss mil cooperation, base opening

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, August 1 (Itar-Tass) -- Dmitry Medvedev and
Kurmanbek Bakiyev in bilateral talks on Saturday will discuss development
of cooperation between the two countries and possible opening of a base of
the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) Rapid Deployment Forces.
The Russian leader will also personally congratulate Bakiyev on his
60th anniversary marked this Saturday and the re-election as president of
the country.
The two presidents will discuss a memorandum on military cooperation,
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday.
Under discussion will be creation of a CSTO training centre in
Kyrgyzstan, the minister said.
A Russian presidential administration official said earlier that the
use of the other base -- Manas -- in Kyrgyzstan would be unlikely
discussed in detail, noting that Russia had no questions with regard to
its functioning as a centre of transit transportation for the
international coalition in Afghanistan.
It is an issue of a mandate, the official noted. "If we ourselves make
efforts and provide assistance to the international forces in Afghanistan,
the participation of partners is a natural matter," he said. If the base
is used for other purposes, the question will be raised, he noted, adding
that the parties behaved correct for the time being. If the stated mandate
of the transit transportation centre corresponds to its name, there are no
reasons for anxiety, but if it takes another form, the question will be
raised, the official added.
The Russian president arrived in Issyk-Kul airport on Friday to
participate in the informal meeting of leaders of CSTO member states.
Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation in the trade and economic area was stepped
up in recent years. The trade turnover amounted to 1.7 billion dollars in
2008. Russia is the fifth for the volume of investments in Kyrgyzstan's
economy after the United States, Canada, Turkey and Kazakhstan. About 80
enterprises with the Russian capital participation operate in Kyrgyzstan.
Russian companies participate in purchasing of controlling stakes in
leading Kyrgyz industrial facilities.
On February 3, 2009, during the working visit by Kyrgyz President
Bakiyev to Moscow, agreements were signed to provide financial aid and a
state loan to Kyrgyzstan, repay part of the state debt in a property form
and write off the remaining Kyrgyz debt to Russia.
An intergovernmental agreement was also singed on Kambarata
hydroelectric station construction. Kyrgyzstan last spring suffered a deep
energy crisis, the heavies in the past 17 years. It was caused by the
shortage of water in the Toktogul reservoir, the largest in Central Asia.
Russia and Kyrgyzstan cooperate also in the gas sector. There are six
billion cubic metres of estimated natural gas reserves in Kyrgyzstan.
Gazprom Neft set up the Gazprom Neft Azia subsidiary in Kyrgyzstan in
2006. The company is the biggest operator in Kyrgyzstan on the wholesale
and retail oil and liquefied gas markets. The cooperation with Gazprom may
increase gas production in the country to 40 million cubic metres a year
by 2010.
The decision to form collective rapid deployment forces was taken by
leaders of CSTO states in February 2009.
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