BISHKEK. A delegation headed by general Anatoly Nogovitsin, who is the deputy of the Russia's Air Force Commander in Chief, arrived today in Bishkek. As the press secretary of the Defense Minister Esen Topoyev, Mirbek Koylubayev reported, Topoyev will meet Nogovitsin for talks to discuss the possibility of deploying Russian Air Force in the Kant air base near the Kyrgyz Capital. In December several Russian military aircraft made an unexpected landing in the base. This was seen by some analysts as Russia's attempt to prevent the deployment of American or other Western forces there.
Russia maintains the Kant air base will serve the purposes of the Collective Security Treaty signed by Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Belarus. But for now only Russian and Kyrgyz aircraft is expected to be deployed.
Defense Minister Topoyev had said that the deployment will not contradict the International Anti-terrorism Coalition Forces based at the Gansi base, some 50 km from Kant.
Russia maintains the Kant air base will serve the purposes of the Collective Security Treaty signed by Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Belarus. But for now only Russian and Kyrgyz aircraft is expected to be deployed.
Defense Minister Topoyev had said that the deployment will not contradict the International Anti-terrorism Coalition Forces based at the Gansi base, some 50 km from Kant.