Kyrgyzstan, Russia to sign bilateral cooperation plan in near future

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14/9 Tass 400

BISHKEK, September 14 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian and Kyrgyz defence
departments will sign a plan of bilateral cooperation for the near future
at the year-end, Itar-Tass learnt on Tuesday at the Kyrgyz Defence
Ministry.
"This decision was taken by defence ministers of the two countries
Anatoly Serdyukov and Abibilla Kudaiberdiev at a meeting that was held in
Moscow on September 12-13," noted the press service of the Kyrgyz Defence
Ministry.
"Under the document, the Russian side intends next year to increase
the quota for servicemen of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces, studying in Russia
gratis."
According to the press service, the ministers also discussed at the
meeting a possibility of deliveries to Kyrgyzstan of "military products"
as payment for leasing Russian military facilities in the republican
territory.
"Kudaiberdiev suggested examining mechanisms of settling this question
at an expert meeting," the press service emphasised. Therefore, it is
expected that the Russian side will send to Bishkek even this month a
working group, led by deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Colonel
General Valery Gerasimov.
The press service noted that the ministers discussed at the meeting
the topic of "joint work-out" of the draft of an bilateral agreement on a
status and conditions of the stay of the joint Russian base in the Kyrgyz
territory. "The ministers expressed interest in joint drafting of this
document and its earliest signing," the press service assured.
"At the same time, they agreed with a proposal by experts to leave the
cost of lease payment at the previous size and to conclude a supplement to
the agreement, providing for annual rendering military and technical aid
to the Kyrgyz Defence Ministry in the form of weapons and military
hardware."
Several Russian military projects are located in the Kyrgyz territory.
Earlier, the sides held talks on their merger and establishment of a
combined Russian base.
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