BISHKEK. Jan 17 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan expects Russia to supply armaments and military hardware for the modernization of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces.
"The defense ministries of Kyrgyzstan and Russia are negotiating the delivery of military hardware and certain types of armaments," Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev told reporters.
In his words, the assistance value may stand at approximately $1.1 billion.
"The military hardware is necessary for the modernization of the Armed Forces and the strengthening of borders," he said.
The prime minister did not say when Russia might give military aid to Kyrgyzstan. He said the sides would have to draw up some documents first and did not rule out the conclusion of a bilateral agreement to this effect.
Kyrgyzstan and Russia have been negotiating military-technological assistance to Kyrgyzstan for almost a year now.
Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister for Security Issues Tokon Mamytov told Interfax earlier that Russia might supply Kyrgyzstan with "light firearms, certain types of artillery weaponry, radio-technical means and motor transport."