20:21, 29 April 2009 | GMT +5
President Medvedev signs amended bill on lease of Baikonur
MOSCOW, April 29 (Itar-Tass) - President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a Federal law on the ratification of a Protocol signed by Russia and Kazakhstan that amends a previous bill on lease of the Baikonur complex initially signed by the governments of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan on December, 10, 1994, Kazinform refers to ITAR-TASS.

The State Duma passed the amended bill on April 10, and the Federation Council endorsed it on April 22, 2009, the Kremlin press service said.
The Protocol specified the legal status of Baikonur personnel and their families and guaranteed state protection of human rights and liberties to Russian citizens and their right to state defense and support away from Russia.
Russian citizens on staff of Baikonur cosmodrome, workers of law enforcement bodies and bodies of power of the Russian Federation deployed in Baikonur and their families are under Russian jurisdiction in cases of illegal activities against the Russian Federation and its citizens, servicemen?s crimes and other offences committed beyond the Baikonur territory; all other offences fall under Kazakh jurisdiction, the Protocol said, Kazinform cites ITAR-TASS. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.