From RIA Novosti:  Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed a series of deals on Thursday including an agreement on maintaining Russian military bases in the Central Asian state, following a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The 15-year base agreement, signed by the two nations’ leaders, will come into effect in 2017 with a possible five-year extension. The agreement sets out what Russia will pay for renting the base, which has not been disclosed. . . .

The two sides also signed a deal on the settlement of Kyrgyzstan’s debt to Russia, totaling $489 million. A $189 million loan Kyrgyzstan owed Russia from 2005 will be written off, while a $300 million loan from 2009 will also be written off in two tranches in ten years, starting from 2016.  (photo: Mikhail Klementiev/RIA Novosti)

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