Russia ready to expand Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan if asked: gen

MOSCOW, July 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russia is ready to expand the Kant
airbase in Kyrgyzstan, if Kyrgyzstan asks for that, the commander-in-chief
of the Russian Air Force, Colonel General Alexander Zelin said on Tuesday.
"If asked, we will enlarge it, this is a political decision," the
commander-in-chief said in reply to a query whether there are plans to
expand the Russian airbase.
"We have no problems as to the stationing of the airbase in Kant," the
general stressed.
The commander of the air defence forces of the Kyrgyz Air Force,
Colonel Erkin Osmonov, said "our state will always welcome the presence of
Russian troops in Kyrgyzstan".
-0-zhe/kud