DUSHANBE, October 18, 2012, Asia-Plus — A planned replacement of personnel has begun at the Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan.
Dmitry Matushkin, an assistant to the commander of the Russian base in Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon that some 2,500 servicemen will be replaced.
Since 2012, money allowances of draftees have fluctuated from 10,000 to 16,000 Russian rubles (RR), depending on their positions, Matushkin noted.
According to him, the planned replacement of servicemen is expected to e finished in mid-December.
We will recall that Tajik Minister of Defense Sherali Khairulloyev and his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov signed here an agreement on October 5 allowing Russian troops to stay at a military base in Tajikistan until 2042.
At a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Dushanbe, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon noted that Russia would assist Tajikistan with modernization of its armed forces. According to him, the Russian side takes responsibility for the modernization and technical renovation of Tajikistan”s Armed Forces, and the strengthening of its material and technical property with modern arms.
Noting that the agreement fixing the conditions of the Russian military base’s stay in Tajikistan is the key document, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the deal would help preserve both countries’ strategic interests.
Russia”s lease on the base expires in 2014. Tajikistan and Russia have been negotiating the issue of the presence of Russia”s 201st Motorized Rifle Division for some time now. Russia”a 201st Division and its approximately 7,500 troops use a total of three Tajik bases near Dushanbe and in the southern cities of Kulob and Qurghon Teppa. It is the largest deployment of Russian troops abroad.
