DUSHANBE, November 12, 2013, Asia-Plus – Russia’s online news agency, Vremya Vostoka (East Time), notes that Russian Minister of Defense, Sergey Shoygu, said on November 9 that the Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan will be brought to strength by the time of completion of withdrawal of international coalition forces from Afghanistan.
“We have reorganized the military base in Tajikistan into a division structure and it will be brought up to strength by the time of withdrawal of international coalition forces from Afghanistan and it will be provided with the latest military equipment,” Shoygu was quoted as saying.
He noted that the Russian authorities have endorsed the program of delivery of military equipment to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Shoygu reportedly noted in August that during the period up to 2025 Russia may allocate 150-200 million U.S. dollars for rearmament of the Tajik national army.
We will recall that Tajikistan has ratified an agreement allowing some 7,000 Russian troops to stay in Tajikistan until 2042.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signed the agreement in Dushanbe in October 2012. The accord prolongs a deal signed in 1993, which was due to expire in 2014.
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 7,000 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.
Russia”s government has been highlighting the need for the base to remain in Tajikistan as foreign forces in Afghanistan start their drawdown next year.
