Has Russia given up on its desire to have a CSTO base in Osh? That's what this Russia Today story suggests:
Moscow has reportedly dropped the idea of deploying an additional military contingent on the territory of Kyrgyzstan despite the earlier agreement between presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Kurmanbek Bakiyev...
... five months after the initially planned date, no agreement between Moscow and Bishkek has been signed. It is not clear whether the base will be created or not.
RT offers few details, however. In a similar vein, an intriguing but vague mention of the Ayni base in Tajikistan at the very end of this Vancouver Sun piece:
Moscow, though, is none too happy about New Delhi playing its strategic “Great Game” in Russia’s backyard. Russia has persuaded the Dushanbe government of Emomali Rahmon that operational control of the Ayni airbase should rotate, and that it should share that responsibility with India.
Joshua Kucera, a senior correspondent, is Eurasianet's former Turkey/Caucasus editor and has written for the site since 2007.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.