President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received at his Oksaroy residence on 29 October the Defence Minister of the Russian Federation Anatoly Serdyukov, UzA reported.

President Islom Karimov said: “Your visit is considered in Uzbekistan as another confirmation of developing and strengthening relations between our countries’ defence ministries, which received a powerful boost following the signing of [the agreement] on partnership and allied relations between our states.”

The establishment between Uzbekistan and Russia of military, technical and scientific cooperation is aimed to provide armed forces with weapons and military equipment, develop information and technology exchange, staff training.

Joint tactical antiterrorist exercises have taken place twice on the training grounds of Uzbekistan and Russia. Such measures have mutual interest both for the countries as a whole, and for the military personnel in particular.

Uzbekistan and Russia have inked an Agreement on military and military-technical cooperation. The ministries of the two sides prepare and implement joint programmes and plans every year. Uzbek and Russian defence ministries signed a plan of bilateral cooperation in 2008 during the visit of Anatoly Serdyukov.

The state and scales of existing practical military collaboration show that Uzbekistan and Russia are moving on the path of development of allied relations in the military sphere as well.

Russian Defence Minister thanked the Uzbek President of sincere reception. He noted that Russia paid special attention to the military cooperation with Uzbekistan and expressed readiness to continue consecutively all joint projects in this direction.