Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 14 / Trend /
Azerbaijan and Russia have discussed new lease terms of the Gabala radar station in Baku.
The talks were held between Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said today.
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said in November that Russia plans to fully rebuild the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan and at the same time reduce the area leased for the radar station's needs. Serdyukov said that the radar station will be manufactured at a plant in Russia and assembled in Gabala.
The Gabala radar station located in north-western Azerbaijan was built in Soviet times as one of the most important elements of a missile defense system of the USSR. After Azerbaijan gained independence the radar station become the country's property and Russia continued to use it.
Previously, the Defence Ministry reported about holding negotiations with Azerbaijan to extend the lease of the Gabala radar station until 2025. The term of the lease agreement and exploitation conditions of this facility expires in December, 2012.