OSCE to focus on air defense

Kazinform, Kazakhstan
Aug 23 2005

OSCE to focus on air defense

MOSCOW. August 22. KAZINFORM. /Arnur Rakhymbekov/ The third stage of
joint exercises `Military Commonwealth – 2005′ organized within
format of CIS Integrated air defense system are taking place August
22-31 at Ashuluk test site, Astrakhan oblast.

The main activities of the military exercises will be carried out by
Air precautions forces and facilities of CSTO member states.

Air Force and Air Defense troops and facilities of Armenia,
Byelorussia, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan will take direct
part in the final and the most active phase.

Deputy CSTO Secretary General Valeriy Semerikov reminded that the
system of Air Defense of some CSTO member states like Armenia,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been in fact generated by the efforts
of the Defense Mnistries and Air defense Coordination Committee under
CIS Defense Ministers Council.

CSTO states pay a great attention to the problem of antiaircraft
defense. Principle of integration of the forces and facilities of
CSTO Air Defense into the common system of CIS Air Defense and their
further development and perfection on the basis of coordinated
military and technical policy are accepted as the ground for joint
activity.

Adoption of the decision on CSTO further development and perfection
of Air defense taken at the session this July by the CSTO leadership
was the most significant step in that direction.

Centralized control over CSTO Air Defense troops, forces and
facilities is also envisaged, Mr Semerikov noted .