Kremlin adviser: Russia aims to open second base in Kyrgyzstan, also home to key US base
By APWednesday, July 29, 2009
Russia wants second base in Kyrgyzstan
MOSCOW — Russian news agencies are quoting a top Kremlin adviser as saying Moscow aims to build a second military base in Kyrgyzstan, where the United States also has a major air base.
The RIA-Novosti news agency cited Sergei Prikhodko as saying Wednesday that Kyrgyz and Russian officials have agreed in principle on putting a base in Kyrgyzstan’s South. The base would be used for a rapid-reaction force of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.
ITAR-Tass quotes Prikhodko as saying that the issue is to be discussed on Friday when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets other CSTO leaders in Kyrgyzstan’s capital.
A U.S. air base near the Kyrgyz capital is a key transit point for coalition soldiers and materiel going to or from Afghanistan.
