http://en.rian.ru/world/20070227/61313578.html
Tajikistan denies plans for Indian military base
14:23 | 27/ 02/ 2007
DUSHANBE, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - A senior Tajik military official
Tuesday denied media reports that India is set to deploy an air base in
the Central Asian country.
Some Internet sources earlier cited the Indian press as saying that
India was planning to deploy a helicopter squadron at the Aini military
airfield, 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the country's capital,
Dushanbe. It was alleged that Russia, whose jet fighters are based at
the airfield, would provide maintenance.
"Information that the air base will house Indian helicopters is untrue,
we only have an agreement, signed in 2002, on [India's] assistance in
the reconstruction of the Aini military airfield, and there is no
suggestion that the airfield is to be used by the Indian Armed Forces,"
said Major General Maruf Khasanov, head of the international cooperation
department at Tajikistan's Defense Ministry.
Saimumin Yatimov, Tajikistan's first deputy foreign minister, in late
January confirmed media reports that Aini was being renovated in
cooperation with India, but said its status was not yet settled and
would be determined some time in the future, "with Tajikistan's national
and international interests in mind."
According to the media, Tajikistan is planning to use the facility
jointly with India and Russia.
A narrow strip of Afghani land separates Tajikistan from Pakistan, with
which India has been entangled in a protracted conflict over the
disputed Kashmir region. But an airbase in Tajikistan could have
implications far beyond Indo-Pakistani rivalry in South Asia.
Although both Tajik and Indian officials have denied the presence of
Indian forces at Aini, an Indian base in the country might be useful in
New Delhi's efforts to promote stability in Afghanistan and contain
Islamic terrorism in South and Central Asia.
Central Asia is rich in energy resources, and India's presence in the
region might also pose serious competition to its energy-hungry
neighbor, China.
+++
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