Astana, Kazakhstan, July 4
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the members of the CIS Defense Ministers Council, where he noted the importance of holding regular meetings.
"Within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), we have established allied relations, mutual protection, and total external antiaircraft defense. We need to maintain these relations and confidence in each other," the president said.
Nazarbayev noted that under unstable geopolitical situation and turbulence of the global economy, Kazakhstan is interested in close military cooperation with neighboring countries.
"Acquired joint experience of our states, human contacts, common educational field, including in the military sphere, equipment with single type of weapons, as well as common space protection of external borders - all of these suggests the need to continue maintaining close relations,"he said.
The Kazakh President also stressed the importance of further development of defense and military-technical cooperation.
"Now we are thinking about transferring production of some components of military equipment to Kazakhstan in order to implement it in conjunction with other states. We will fully support the establishment of appropriate joint venture in this regard," Nazarbayev said.
The President also stressed that economic and internal political condition of neighboring countries affects Kazakhstan.
"Kazakhstan sincerely wishes that its Allies prosper, including within the Commonwealth," he said.