Azerbaijan seeks to up charge for Russia's radar lease

Baku seeks to increase charge for Russia's use of the Gabala radar station when the current lease is extended.

“The Russians want us to extend the lease. We are ready to consider cooperation but the conditions should be reviewed,” Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said in an interview with Reuters news agency.

Asked what exactly should be changed in the agreement, Azimov said: “They should pay more.”

Under the terms of the lease signed in January 2002, Russia pays pay $7 million in annual rent for the Gabala radar station. It also had to pay another $31 million between 2002 and 2007 in back rent.

Russia's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Vladimir Dorokhin, told a press conference in Baku on Wednesday that the Gabala lease would come to an end on 24 December 2012, News.az reported.

He said that Moscow was satisfied with the current deal and its implementation, but remained tightlipped on future plans.

In 2007 Russia offered the United States joint use of the Gabala station as an alternative to the Bush administration's planned European missile defense shield, aimed largely at protecting against a potential threat from Iran.