DUSHANBE, July 17, 2013, Asia-Plus — The agreement on the lease for the Russian military base in Tajikistan is not any minor document that could be ratified suddenly, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi told journalists in Dushanbe on July 17.
“This agreement provides for a long-term military cooperation, and therefore, experts from the two countries are thoroughly considering all its provisions,” the minister said.
According to him, there are no any serious problems in relations between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.
We will recall that Russia’s lower house (State Duma) of parliament approved the law on ratification of the agreement on the lease for the Russian military base in Tajikistan on April 19 and the Federation Council (Russia’s upper chamber of parliament) passed it on April 27. President Vladimir Putin signed the federal law on the ratification of this agreement on May 7.
Moscow and Dushanbe clinched the agreement in October last year to extend the lease of the Russian military base in Tajikistan until at least 2042, with possible five-year extensions afterwards.
The agreement reportedly states that during its presence in Tajikistan, the Russian base will protect the interests of Russia and Tajikistan, ensure Tajikistan’s security jointly with Tajikistani armed forces, Russia’s own armed forces, and other troops and bodies in both countries.
To achieve these objectives, Russia will provide Tajikistan with weapons and military and special equipment in accordance with Russia’s laws on military technical cooperation with foreign countries.
The agreement regulates, in particular, the status of the Russian military base personnel, its jurisdiction and everyday work, and sets out the procedures for using the base together with Tajikistan’s armed forces.
The base was officially opened in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad.
A total of some 6,000 Russian troops are stationed at three military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base – in Dushanbe, Qurgon Teppa, some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe, and Kulob, about 200 kilometers southwest of Dushanbe.
