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Kazakh, Russian presidents plan to develop Baikonur - official

20 December 2012 15:02 (UTC+04:00)
Kazakh, Russian presidents plan to develop Baikonur - official

By Aynur Jafarova

Kazakhstan and Russia's presidents are intent on developing Baikonur -- a city in the Central Asian state, rented and administered by Russia, that was constructed to service a cosmodrome -- as a symbol of successful cooperation of the two nations, Interfax-Kazakhstan quoted Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov as saying.

Idrisov added that during the visit of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Moscow on Wednesday, partnership in space exploration projects was on the agenda.

Idrisov commented on recent announcements made by Talgat Musabayev, head of the Kazakh KazCosmos space agency, that Kazakhstan and Russian are working out a new agreement to gradually edge away from lease-based relations over the Baikonur cosmodrome and that Baikonur city may be transferred to Kazakhstan's jurisdiction. He said "the announcements were distorted by the media... all the journalists' comments were about Kazakhstan allegedly curtailing its space cooperation with Russia. It is a misleading interpretation".

According to the minister, the KazCosmos head meant that "Kazakhstan intends to expand its participation in space projects at Baikonur and develop its potential in this realm, without any detriment to the relations with Russia".

"It would be unwise on Kazakhstan's part to lose the opportunity to closely cooperate with such a full-fledged space power as Russia at the Kazakhstan-based cosmodrome. We want to fully tap into our potential to the benefit of the Kazakh economy. We hope to make the space cooperation more fruitful for both sides," Idrisov said.

Kazakh President's special envoy Sabit Kozhahmetov has said Kazakhstan-Russia intergovernmental commission will start discussions on the future of Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early next year, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

"The intergovernmental commission will discuss the issue of Baikonur in the first quarter of 2013. At the same time we will start development of mechanisms for further use of Baikonur city and discussing the issue of joint management of Baikonur complex," Kozhahmetov said.

He said the final decision on the complex will be taken in two to four years.

"The agreement on Baikonur lease was signed in 1994 and has become outdated. Any regulations require amendments and improvements. When the lease agreement was extended till 2050, it was fixed in the agreement's Article 6 that the two governments would amend it in some time," he said.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is leased by the Kazakh government to Russia until 2050 and is managed jointly by the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Russian Space Forces. Russia pays Kazakhstan $115 million annually for the use of the facility.

The Kazakh presidential envoy noted that the parties will develop a new agreement on Baikonur's joint use and management instead of the existing lease agreement.

"Kazakhstan should have an appropriate agreement to start Baikonur financing. We cannot allocate money to a territory leased by someone. Currently, there is no Kazakh program, except some social work in Baikonur. Meanwhile, we will continue working with Russia," Kozhahmetov said.

"As for the rent of the city of Baikonur, we are considering the possibility of its management under Kazakhstan's jurisdiction," he said.

According to Kozhahmetov, in any case, the city will be provided with a special status, given that Kazakhstan will hold Expo-2017, and the exhibition attendees will visit Baikonur among other places.

"The Kazakh head of state has ordered to improve the infrastructure of the city with modern technology. But we will do it in cooperation with Russia," Kozhahmetov said.

It is clear that Kazakhstan is interested in further cooperation with Russia, because Kazakhstan does not have the necessary experience to manage Baikonur.

KazCosmos was established in Kazakhstan in 2007. The space activities were legislated in the Central Asian state in early 2011 with the approval of the Law "On space activities".

Kazakhstan is interested in the work of foreign professionals in Baikonur, not only Russian experts. But since the site is obsolete, its modernization will cost billions.

But it is possible that Kazakhstan will increase its experience in space exploration until 2050 and by that time the country will be able to manage Baikonur itself.

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