Russia plans to pay Kazakhstan $90 million in the first half of this year for the use of the Baikonur launch center, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko said Wednesday after meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev.
Russia will pay $25 million of this in cash and $65 million in goods, Khristenko said.
Khristenko recalled that there is currently a schedule for Baikonur rent payments for the first half of the year, and Russia is meeting this schedule in line with an agreement signed by the two countries.
Russia has paid Kazakhstan in full for the use of the launch center in 1999.
In the first quarter of this year Russia paid Kazakhstan a quarter of the amount set by the lease agreement for Baikonur.
The annual rent for the center is $115 million. Last year Russia paid $50 million in cash and $65 million in various goods and services.
Russia has been renting Baikonur since 1994.
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