RUSSIA, KAZAKHSTAN TO HOLD JOINT NAVAL DRILLS IN 2009

RIA Novosti
15:37 | 23/ 09/ 2008

MOSCOW/MAKHACHKALA, September 23 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Kazakhstan
will conduct joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea in 2009, the
commander of the Caspian flotilla said on Tuesday.

"These exercises will be aimed at practicing anti-terrorism operations
and will be conducted both on land and at sea," Vice Admiral Viktor
Kravchuk said.

Russia, which is a member of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), has been strengthening military ties with Eurasian
allies amid growing tensions over NATO expansion and U.S. missile
shield plans for Central Europe.

The CSTO is a security grouping comprising Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.