Moscow sticks to Gabala radar use
Russia will operate the radar station in Azerbaijan till the lease
of the mammoth Soviet-era facility expires in 2012, Ambassador
Vasiliy Istratov told journalists.
Russian Space Force Commander, Vladimir Popovkin, earlier said his country would refuse the radar stations based in other countries. But the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan said it had not received any official information to that end.
Istratov made it clear that his country had no intention to stop using the Gabala radar before the deadline, after which further steps would be considered.
"The agreement has to expire, after which we will see where we are. We will either extend its term or turn down operation of the facility," the ambassador said.
The radar station, leased to the neighboring country for $7m a year, allows to track down air space for a distance of 6,000 km. Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2007 offered to the United States to jointly use the radar station as an alternative to Washington's plan to station missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic. The U.S. did not reject the proposal but made it clear it did not see Putin's idea as a substitute for stationing radars in Eastern Europe.
Russian Space Force Commander, Vladimir Popovkin, earlier said his country would refuse the radar stations based in other countries. But the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan said it had not received any official information to that end.
Istratov made it clear that his country had no intention to stop using the Gabala radar before the deadline, after which further steps would be considered.
"The agreement has to expire, after which we will see where we are. We will either extend its term or turn down operation of the facility," the ambassador said.
The radar station, leased to the neighboring country for $7m a year, allows to track down air space for a distance of 6,000 km. Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2007 offered to the United States to jointly use the radar station as an alternative to Washington's plan to station missile interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic. The U.S. did not reject the proposal but made it clear it did not see Putin's idea as a substitute for stationing radars in Eastern Europe.
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