The memorandum signed between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev however appeared to fall short of the deal Russia has sought to open a second base in the country.

The agreement, signed at the resort of Cholpon-Ata on Kyrgyzstan's Lake Issyk-Kul, said Kyrgyzstan had "approved a proposal by Russia to house an additional Russian military contingent in Kyrgyzstan".

It said the size of the contingent could be up to a battalion.

The two sides also vowed to sign an agreement by November 1 on the status of Russian bases in Kyrgyzstan, the memorandum said, adding the deal would last 49 years with the chance of a 25 year extension.

Russia already has one base in Kyrgyzstan, the Kant airbase outside the capital Bishkek.

It is also seeking a second base in the southern city of Osh that would house the newly proposed rapid reaction force of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), an ex-Soviet group dominated by Moscow.

However the creation of the force -- called Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) and a clear bid to rival NATO -- has been beset by problems since it was agreed on June 14.

Belarus has still not signed the agreement as it boycotted the June 14 summit and although its maverick President Alexander Lukashenko attended a CSTO meeting in Cholpon-Ata on Friday it appeared he would not sign the document.

Uzbekistan's strongman President Islam Karimov is also believed to be unhappy with the idea at having a Russian base in a neighbouring country close to his borders, media have reported.

The memorandum did not explicitly mention the Osh base but it appears possible that the additional troops could be stationed there.

The manoeuvring comes as both the United States and Russia jostle for military influence in a region gaining in strategic importance owing to its proximity to Afghanistan, particularly over bases.

Kyrgyzstan in June agreed to let US forces remain at the Manas airbase outside Bishkek, used to support operations in Afghanistan, effectively reversing a previous decision in a move seen by many as a blow for Moscow.

It is currently the only country in the world to house both Russian and US bases.

Tajikistan has also surprised Russia by reportedly demanding that Moscow start paying for a military base it maintains in the country and that it pull out Russian border guards stationed on Tajik territory.

Russia's 201st base, set up in 2005, is made up of 5,500 soldiers and officers and has the aim of helping maintain stability in Central Asia and providing support for Tajik troops.

The Kommersant newspaper said that Tajikistan's move had been discussed at a bilateral meeting Friday between Medvedev and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon.

It quoted unnamed sources as saying that Russia was prepared to start paying for the facility as long as Dushanbe in return paid market rates for military hardware delivered by Moscow.

The CSTO is made up of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

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