íÅdvedev and Bakiev Almost Blocked the Grouping of NATO in Afganistan

Kirghizia declared closing of the American military base Manas in its territory. Negotiations of the presidents of Russia and Kirghizia Dmitry Medvedev and Kurmanbek Bakiev in the Kremlin ended in Bakiev's announcement about soon closing of the base of the American Air Forces near Bishkek. "One of these days the government of Kirghizia made the decision on termination of a term of stay of the American base in the territory of Kirghizia and in the near future this decision will be announced", - Bakiev told. The president of Kirghizia explained it by that America didn't satisfy the Kirghiz financial conditions of stay of the base as well as by negative resonance of functioning of the base in a society.

Base named after Peter Gansi was opened in the territory of airport Manas near Bishkek in 2001. Its work was carried out under the mandate of the United Nations within the framework of antiterrorist operation carried out by coalition forces "Indestructible Freedom" in Afghanistan. Two years later, in 2003 Russia also opened its air base in Kirghizia - in Kant. After closing of the American base Manas in Uzbekistan in 2005 it is a key element for carrying out of military actions in Afghanistan. Up to 1,5 thousand military men, first of all Americans serve there, military - transport and fuelling planes are being based there.

The cost of refusal of Kirghizia for Russia was high. The total sum of the credit to Bishkek will make $2 billion, that is comparable to the sum spent by the USA on reequipment of the Georgian army. The credit will consist of $1,7 billion investments on construction of Kambaratinskaya Hydroelectric Power Station and purchase of the equipment (there was an additional agreement signed on Hydroelectric Power Station) and also of $300 million as the credit for maintenance of a financial system (the rate - 0,75% per annum, term - 40 years). Except for the credit Russia completely wrote off the Kirghiz debt in amount of $180 million: the part of it was serviced in the material form: 48% of shares of enterprise "Dastan" making sea weapon and undersea-technical means of special assignment would go to Russia. Kirghizia received guarantees of the gratuitous anti-recessionary help in the amount of $150 million.  

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From editorial board: Actually, if to consider the USA geopolitic opponent of Russia in the Central Asian region (that is close to true), such impact on the American military presence is very sensitive and can be considered as success of the Russian diplomacy.

In reality grouping of NATO in Afghanistan "hang out" as situation in earlier allied the USA Pakistan today is not too favorable for transportation of military cargoes though this country. Actually, but for this circumstance purely from the logistic point of view delivery of cargoes to Karachi and their further transfer to Afghanistan makes the Central Asian way senselessly inconvenient.

However situation in Pakistan makes transportation though air space of Russia and the Central Asian states unique corridor of supply of grouping of NATO in Afghanistan. If this corridor appears to be blocked, it would be necessity to end Afghani war urgently - with all following consequences. To tell you the truth, íÅdvedev during negotiations with Bakiev made a slip in speaking that as to the support of antiterrorist operations in the region Russia will execute obligations before the international community but in fact today it's antiterrorist operation in Afghanistan, the next day it can turn into a bloody aggression of the block of NATO against freedom-loving Afghani people.

It should be so from the point of view of strategic interests - then, certainly, all Central Asian dictators will amicably swear Moscow because they will have to defend border with Afghanistan only at support of the Russian armed forces. However whether Medvedev's Russia is quite strong for such open demarche against interests of America and even all "aggressive block of NATO"? So, such step needs not only defensive but also economic sufficiency, while we have only dollars and euro in dual currency basket and all national income comes by means of a pipe extremely in direction of the strategic opponent.

By virtue of it one shouldn't expect full blockade of the grouping of NATO in Afghanistan from the side of Medvedev, Bakiev and ëÁrimov. By the way, there is probability of appearance of the base of the Air Forces of the USA in Tadjikistan - E. Rahmon's behaviour just corresponds to a similar step. Well, there is also the German base in the Uzbek Termez. So one can't expect very sharp steps from Moscow.

What was the reason then to waste 2 billion dollars on Kirghizia in the time when there is shortage of them in Russia? To show E.Rahmon that it's better to be a good boy, than bad? In this plan, certainly, there will be nothing good for "kulyabsky" clan because of Pndzh ruling in Dushanbe. But all the same risks from demarche of Bakiev - íÅdvedev are high enough, everything ended more or less well with the Georgian Victoria but it's one thing "to force to the rails" Saakashvili and quite another carelessly do the same to personal belongings of much more serious people.
á.B.