KZ, US Generals to meet tomorrow

ASTANA. January 13. KAZINFORM Deputy Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan, Lieutenant-General Bulat Sembinov and Commander of the US Central Command David Petraeus are scheduled to have a meeting in the Kazakh Ministry tomorrow, Kazinform reports.

The US delegation is expected to meet with the militaries of ?Kazbrig? Kazakh peacekeeping brigade which have accomplished noble mission in Iraq for five years in structure of Multi-National Force. General David Petraeus will hand over a medal of the US Defense Ministry «Meritorious Service Medal» to Colonel Yerlan Talasbayev who was National Representative of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan to the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida. 24 Kazakhstani peacekeepers will be awarded with memorable badges of the US Central Command as well. Representatives of the Kazakh Armed Forces have approved themselves as professionals. Since the beginning of the mission they have neutralized over four million explosive ordnances and have purified 6 718 cubic meters of water. Since 2005 within exchange of experience the instructors of the Kazakh Armed Forces have taught combat engineering to 572 students of the Military Academy of Iraq. Kazakh military doctors were involved in a medical group of American base in Iraq ?Delta? where they have rendered medical aid to more than 5000 local citizens and coalition. It should be noted that since 2003 Kazakh-American cooperation in defense has been raised to a brand new level. In September 2003 the countries signed a 5-year Military Cooperation Plan. Kazakhstan is the only state in the region that has signed such document. It includes such important directions of cooperation as development of peacekeeping potential of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, improvement of Kazakhstani system of military education and mutual participation in trainings. Realization of the first Plan successfully ended in 2008. In February 2008 a2008-2012 Cooperation Plan was signed. Kazakh-American cooperation in defense and security has achieved significant results within implementation of the first Plan. Kazakh militaries take an active part in ?IMET? education program that provides for study in such prestigious military educational institutions of the USA like West-Point military academy, different command and staff colleges and National Defense University. Over the period of cooperation Kazakhstan has sent more than 300 militaries to the US military educational institutions.