Atambayev: all foreign military bases must leave Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev said that the country had to rely only on its military forces. He declared that all foreign military bases would be gradually withdrawn from the territory of the country, adding that such decision was very right.

Almazbek Atambayev said: «We will always by strategic partners with Russia. But Kyrgyzstan has to rely only on itself. We need to form own army. The country must get used to pay for itself, if it wants to be independent». In such way he emphasized that the Russian base would be withdrawn only after the termination of the agreement. But this will happen only in 2058, while the contract includes an automatic extension of the period of 25 years.

So, such statements could be considered as a move ahead of a referendum on changing the constitution, scheduled on December 11th. Despite the fact that the proposed amendments provide for the transfer of powers from the president to the prime minister, some experts think that they are against retaining the power of the current president and the preparation of the «ruling tandem».