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France to boost air group in Tajikistan - embassy

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DUSHANBE, May 11 (RIA Novosti) - France plans to add three Mirage fighters to its air group in Tajikistan, the French embassy in the Central Asian republic said Thursday.

The embassy said the fighters and personnel would arrive in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, on May 19 and would stay until early fall, but did not specify reasons for the move.

France currently has two military transport aircraft in Dushanbe, providing air support for the French contingent in neighboring Afghanistan. The new planes will bring the total number of French pilots and maintenance personnel in the Tajik capital to about 250.

France's defense ministry said the move had been coordinated with the Tajik government.

The French air group was deployed in Tajikistan in December 2001 as part of the U.S.-led anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan.

The United States runs the only air base in former Soviet Central Asia - in Kyrgyzstan - after American troops were expelled from Uzbekistan over U.S. and Western criticism of how local authorities handled the bloody Andijan unrests.

Russia has the Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan. It was established in October 2003 to enable Russian jets to provide close air support for ground units of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

In February, Russia announced plans to double the base's personnel and aircraft numbers.

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