Kyrgyzstan offers stake in defense enterprise as partial payment of Russian debt
BISHKEK. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan offers a controlling stake in a defense industry enterprise to Russia as partial payment of a national debt of $493 million and proposes that the rest of the debt be written off or restructured, the Kyrgyz finance minister announced on Saturday, saying the two governments were currently working on the initiative.
Kyrgyzstan is proposing that Russia take ownership of a 48% stake in the Dastan enterprise, the minister, Akylbek Zhaparov, told Interfax.
The Kremlin said on Saturday that Kyrgyzstan owes Russia $493 million.
Zhaparov said a $193-million share of the sum was a loan extended in the mid-90s and the rest a loan released in 2009. In 2009, the two countries signed an agreement to hand over controlling interest in Dastan to Russia, but the deal has still not been put into practice.
The Kyrgyz government believes a new agreement may be signed on transferring a 48% stake in Dastan to Russia.
