TAJIK DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER OFF TO RUSSIA FOR CIS SECURITY BODY TALKS

Asia-Plus news agency website, Dushanbe
17 May 06

Dushanbe, 17 May: The first deputy defence minister, the chief of the
General Staff of the Tajik armed forces, Lt-Gen Ramil Nodirov, has left
for the Russian capital [Moscow]. A working meeting of chiefs of staff
of the armed forces of CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]
member states will take place in the CSTO’s unified headquarters in
Moscow on 18 May.

A source in the Tajik Defence Ministry has told Asia-Plus that the
participants in the meeting intend to discuss prospects for the
development of the CSTO’s military component. In particular, the
training of national [military] contingents, as well as improvement
of the system of commanding the collective rapid deployment forces
of the Central Asian region will be discussed.

Chiefs of staff of the armed forces of Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will participate in the meeting.