US-Kazakh military cooperation prospects discussed in Astana

ASTANA. January 14. KAZINFORM /Narymbek Ismagulov/ ?Today we have discussed the progress of five-year plan of military and technical cooperation for 2008-2012 signed between the US and Kazakhstan in February 2008?, Kazakh Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Bulat Sembinov said at the meeting with Commander of the US Central Command General David Petraeus, Kazinform reports.

Deputy Minister of Defense emphasized that the ministry paid special attention to the issues of personnel training in Kazakhstan?s Armed Forces, strengthening of Kazakh peacekeeping potential, development of military and technical programs. As General D. Petraeus noted, Kazakhstan is the first country in the Central Asian region where the American delegation arrived within this visit. ?This serves as a recognition of Kazakhstan?s important role both on regional and world levels?, the guest noted. ?It is a great honor for me to act as a partner of Kazakhstani military personnel?. General D. Petraeus appraised qualitative transformations in Kazakhstan?s Armed Forces including new military doctrine adopted in March 2007, improvement of the educational process and further transfer to professional army.