Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft has proposed to form a Kyrgyz-Russian joint venture for establishing an aviation hub on the base of Manas airport.

This was noted by the company's officials at the first investment hearing on the draft project, Kyrgyz media reported last week.

The Russian side will manage the joint venture. The Manas International Airport will enter the enterprise with its own shares, and Rosneft with its investments worth $220-300 million.

Also, Rosneft will take all the bodies of the Manas International Airport in its trust management.

"So we are ready to consider any proposal for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of other airports in the country", Rosneft officials said.

In January 2013, Kyrgyzstan and Russia discussed establishment of a logistics center at the Manas International Airport.

Manas transit center, formerly a military base, was opened at the Manas International Airport in late 2001 as a major logistics hub for transporting goods and anti-terror coalition forces to Afghanistan.

Kyrgyz Transport Ministry believes Manas has to become a major center of international logistics and increase cargo flights between the developed markets of Western Europe and South-East Asia through Kyrgyzstan, which will shorten the distance during creation of the so-called 'southern route.