Irina Malenko: Is it another “success” of Russia’s foreign policy ?

Agence France Presse with a reference to official representatives of Kirghizia’s government informs, about 6,000 foreign soldiers and 50 foreign war planes will be quartered on Kirghizia’s territory within the nearest time.

Head of Kirghizia’s Committee for international affairs Alisher Abdimomunov told about it. Eleven countries have already expressed the wish to quarter their troops and air forces on Kirghizia’s territory. They are Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and the USA, of course.

In Abdimomunov’s words, the Kirghiz authorities allowed France to quarter the troops and planes before parliament’s ratification of an agreement required for it.

In accordance with agreement, that has not been ratified yet, six Mirage 2000 fighters and two refuellers that operate in the air will be quartered on the military base in Manas for a year at least. But it may also last longer. The USA is allowed to introduce the troops in Kirghizia and quarter the planes in any place, including the base in Manas, 35 kilometers from the capital, Bishkek.

French troops will be introduced in Kirghizia starting with January 30. The first group will consist of 500 soldiers.

The USA has already started arrangement of its military base in Kirghizia.

Is it another “success” of Russia’s foreign policy ? No wonder, if the Russian press will interpret the situation in Kirghizia to the readers this way. Indeed, nobody likes to admit failures.

Irina Malenko PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/23/35928.html