DUSHANBE, September 17, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has denied rumors about the possible withdrawal of the Russian military base from Tajikistan as “absolutely unfounded.”

First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant-General Ramil Nadyrov, told reporters in Dushanbe today that there has never been the issue of withdrawal of the Russian military base from Tajikistan.

“The Tajikistan has never raised the issue of payment for the use of a military base on its territory and during the recent visit of Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to Dushanbe, issues related to military and technical cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia and resourcing of the Russian military base in Tajikistan were discussed.”

Reports released by some media that Tajikistan allegedly could ask Russia to pay for the use of the military base on its territory do not correspondent to the facts, Tajik defense official stressed.