Russia To Remain On Baikonur Launching Site Until 2050
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law on the ratification of the Russian-Kazakh agreement to use the Baikonur launching site, a spokesman for the presidential press-service said.
The law was passed by parliament's lower house, the State Duma, on May 25 and approved by the upper house, the Federation Council June 8, reports RIA Novosti.
The initial agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan was signed on January 9, 2004 in Astana, the Kazakh capital.
The agreement was prepared to complement the provisions of the agreement on the main principles and conditions for using the Baikonur launching site, concluded by Russia and Kazakhstan on March 28, 1994.
According to RIA Novosti, the agreement will promote the further use of the launching site for national space programs, international cooperation programs and commercial projects.
The priority within the agreement is the construction at Baikonur of the Baiterek space rocket complex, for the Russian Angara space rocket.
Copyright 2005 by Space Daily, Distributed by United Press International