Tajikistan will ratify the agreement on Russian military base in autumn 2013, Tajik president Emomali Rahmon said following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ITAR-TASS reported.
The agreement on the status of the base was signed by the Russian and Tajik presidents in October 2012. According to this document, the Russian servicemen's staying in Tajikistan is extended for 49 years from the date of commencement of the first contract (May 25, 1993), that is, until 2042. After this period, the agreement may be extended.
The 201st base is the Russian largest land military base on the foreign territory. Around 6,000 Russian soldiers and officers serve there. It was formed to maintain peace and order in Tajikistan and facilitate border forces and the Tajik Defense Ministry in fulfilling their functions.