Russian defense minister says Tajik base still under discussion
17:32 22/10/2009 MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's defense minister said on Thursday the issue of paying rent for a Russian military base in Tajikistan was still being discussed.
"We have considered two issues - either to continue using the base in the current form or on a paying basis," Anatoly Serdyukov told reporters after talks between the countries' presidents, adding that it was too early to discuss specific figures.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon held talks in the Kremlin earlier in the day.
Serdyukov said the parties were discussing the possibility of the base's paid use by Russia only after 2014.
In September, the Tajik Defense Ministry denied asking Russia to pay $300 million in rent for the base.
The 201st Base, Russia's largest base abroad, was established in October 2004, following a deal signed by President Rahmon and the then Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
The base has about 7,000 personnel, comprising three motorized infantry regiments, a self-propelled artillery regiment, an anti-aircraft missile regiment, and a combat helicopter group.
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