DTN News: Russia Extends Lease On Military Base In Armenia Through 2044

DTN News: Russia Extends Lease On Military Base In Armenia Through 2044

* Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Armenia

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including Ria Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) YEREVAN, Armenia - August 21, 2010: Russia and Armenia on Friday signed amendments to a 1995 bilateral treaty extending Russia's use of a military base near Armenia's border with Turkey through 2044. The document was signed by the countries' defense ministers as a result of negotiations between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Medvedev is currently on a state visit to Armenia. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said the term of the 1995 deal on the base in Gyumri, Armenia's second largest city, had been extended from 25 to 49 years. Asked by reporters about the cost of the lease on the base, he said "there is no question of money." Some reports have said that the mission of the Russian troops was being expanded, but Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the deployment locations for Russian troops had been agreed for a long time and were not affected by the new document. Lavrov and Serdyukov both said the only thing that had changed was the length of the lease. "One thing has changed - the extension to 49 years," the defense minister told RIA Novosti. Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan said earlier in the week that Russia would also provide Armenia with arms and modern military equipment. Russia's 102nd Military Base has been deployed in Gyumri since 1995 and is part of a CIS integrated air defense system. It is under the command of Russia's North Caucasus Military District. There are around 5,000 personnel at the base, as well as S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and MiG-29 fighters.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

Related News *Russia could finance over 20 pct of Armenian NPP *Russia to extend military presence in Armenia by 24 years *Russian, Armenian presidents express hope in development of cooperation *Russian, Armenian presidents stroll through streets, go to jazz cafe

DTN News: Kazakhstan Not Against 2nd Russian Base Opening In Kyrgyzstan

DTN News: Kazakhstan Not Against 2nd Russian Base Opening In Kyrgyzstan *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) ASTANA, Kazakhstan - July 16, 2009: Kazakhstan is not opposed to the possible opening of a new Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan and welcomes measures to strengthen security in the region, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said Monday. A Russian government delegation visited Kyrgyzstan last week, holding closed meetings with the republic's leadership. A source in the Kyrgyz government said the expansion of Russia's military presence was discussed, in particular, the opening of a military base in the south of the country. "The opening of a Russian base on Kyrgyz territory is an issue of purely bilateral relations," ministry spokesman Yerzhan Ashikbayev told an Astana briefing. He said that if there were plans to discuss multilateral interaction, Kazakhstan would have been informed of that and taken part in the discussions. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday neither confirmed nor denied reports that Russia was holding talks with Kyrgyzstan on a new military base. Russia has since 2003 operated an airbase in the city of Kant, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside the capital, Bishkek. A high-ranking source in the government of Uzbekistan told RIA Novosti on Sunday that his country was against establishing new bases in neighboring countries. The U.S. State Department said it was up to Kyrgyzstan to decide.

Sevastopol Residents Protest U.S. Warship Visit

Sevastopol Residents Protest U.S. Warship Visit

(NSI News Source Info) SEVASTOPOL - March 26, 2009: About 500 demonstrators gathered on Wednesday in Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea to protest the visit of a U.S. frigate to the port, which hosts a key Russian naval base. USS Klakring (FFG-42), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, is a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Thomas B. Klakring (1904–1975), who was awarded three Navy Crosses as commander of the submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217) during World War II. Klakring was laid down on 19 February 1982 by the Bath Iron Works Corp. Bath, Maine; launched on 18 September 1982; sponsored by Beverly Bohen, a niece of R.Adm. Klakring; and commissioned on 20 August 1983 at Bath, Commander Leonard O. Wahlig in command. As of 2006, Klakring is homeported at NAVSTA Mayport, Florida, and is part of Destroyer Squadron 14. In March of 2008, the ship was the subject of protests in Sevastapol, Ukraine. Klakring participated in Operation Earnest Will in the Persian Gulf in 1987 as the first air-capable, air-embarked ship. Klakring participated in Operation Prime Chance in the Persian Gulf during the "Tanker War". Klakring is one of the surface combatants in Larry Bond's 1993 technothriller Cauldron. The USS Klakring (FFG 42) frigate entered the Black Sea on March 20 and is closely monitored by Russia, whose Black Sea Fleet has its main base in Sevastopol. The U.S. warship is scheduled to stay in the city until Saturday before heading to Batumi in Georgia. "We welcome all foreigners who come here as tourists, but we will not tolerate the U.S. military in our city," said city council member Andrei Merkulov, one of the organizers of the rally. Locals in Ukraine's Crimea, which has a largely Russian-speaking population, frequently protest against visits by NATO ships. Last November, the USS Mount Whitney cut short its visit to Sevastopol amid similar protests. Ukraine has been pursuing NATO membership since pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko was inaugurated in January 2005. However, regular opinion polls show that the majority of Ukrainians continue to oppose NATO membership.

U.S. Opposes Russian Military Bases In Abkhazia, South Ossetia

U.S. Opposes Russian Military Bases In Abkhazia, South Ossetia

(NSI News Source Info) Washington - February 8, 2009: Russian efforts to establish three military bases in the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia could prove provocative and destabilizing, a senior U.S. official says. The United States has noted with concern press reports of Russian plans for the bases, U.S. Charge d'Affaires Kyle Scott said at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Austria, on February 5. "These steps, if confirmed, would be provocative and destabilizing, and would undercut international efforts through the Geneva [peace] talks to reduce tensions in the region." And the bases would compound Russia's breaches of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Scott said. Establishing the bases would deepen Russia's violations of the August 12, 2008, cease-fire agreement, in which Russia agreed to withdraw its forces to their pre-conflict positions, he said. "Also of serious concern are reports of frequent Russian helicopter flights outside the South Ossetian region of Georgia," Scott said. OSCE and European Union monitors in Georgia reported January 26 that Russian military helicopters were seen flying into Georgian-controlled airspace outside of South Ossetia, which is one of two breakaway regions in Georgia. Russian helicopters were also observed flying over Georgian villages well outside of the two breakaway regions. "These incidents clearly underscore the need for an OSCE monitoring presence with uninhibited access to the whole of Georgia, including South Ossetia," Scott said in remarks before the OSCE Permanent Council meeting. Russia and Georgia fought a five-day conflict over the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions in August 2008. Following a cease-fire, Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent nations and has continued to occupy the two regions with heavy military forces. Only one other nation, Nicaragua, also recognized the regions. Russian news agencies reported January 26 that the Russian navy plans to build a base in Abkhazia, which borders the Black Sea. Russia has been searching for another naval base location in the event that it loses the rights to base naval ships at its main Black Sea base in Sevastopol, Ukraine. The lease on that base expires in 2017. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza told Reuters in a January 31 interview that "the possible deployment of a naval base in Abkhazia, an air base in Abkhazia and a military base in South Ossetia seems to be moving in the wrong direction. Russia pledged to reduce its troops to the levels and locations of before the Russia-Georgia war." Scott also said that continued kidnappings and killings of Georgian police officers and civilians demonstrate the increasing need for more OSCE and EU civilian monitors. "We remain convinced that now is the time for more, not less, international presence, to help deter violence, to ensure the safety and protection of civilians, to promote human rights, to encourage dialogue and reconciliation, and to monitor the implementation of the August 12 cease-fire and subsequent agreements," Scott said. Scott said the United States expects Russia will implement its commitments under the agreements. What foreign affairs actions should President Obama consider? Comment on America.gov's blog ( http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2009/01/21/day-2-what-should-obama’s-top-priorities-be/ ).