Russia to Provide $50 Million Aid to Krygyzstan
Russia has agreed on Wednesday to provide a $50 million financial assistance to Krygyzstan in the form of aid loans after leaders from Central Asian Republic said that the country is in the midst of a financial crisis.
Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin was the first official to offer aid in the form of money and fuel to help the impoverished nation.
"We must support our friends." He said.
At least 84 people were killed and 1,600 more injured when troops fired into a crowd of demonstrators in the uprising in the state. Putin called up Roza Otunbayeva to offer assistance in less than 24 hours.
It is worthwhile to note that the US which runs a military base on Kyrgyz soil to support NATO operations in Afghanistan, also sent Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake to Bishkek on Wednesday in a sign of the big power rivalries in the region. In the meanwhile Russia has sought to evict US interests in central Asia which was under erstwhile Soviet Union.
Alexei Kudrin, Russia's finance minister, said the financial package would comprise a $20 million grant and a $30 million loan from state-run Russian Agriculture Bank, at preferential interest rates. Likewise Russian Finance Minister said the package would comprise of a $ 20 million grant and a r4 30 million loan from the state run Russian Agricultural Bank. Russian Power minister Igor Sechin, also said Russian oil companies would send 25,000 tonnes of refined products to Kyrgyzstan though he did not specify whether Russia would supply the oil products free of charge.
