DUSHANBE, February 9, 2009, Asia-Plus — On Sunday February 8, Kyrgyz Defense Minister Baktybek Kaliyev heading Kyrgyz defense delegation visited Khujand, the capital of the Tajik northern Sughd province yesterday by invitation of his Tajik counterpart Sherali Khairulloyev.
Faridoun Mahmadaliyev, a spokesman for the defense ministry (MoD), told Asia-Plus today that the sides had discussed the present military and political situation in the Central Asian region and Afghanistan. The ministers also considered issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of military and military-technical cooperation between the two countries and conducting joint drills in the territory of the Sughd province.
The meeting resulted in signing of a working protocol that, in particular, noted that both sides were interested in interacting to fight international terrorism, extremism and other challenges, the spokesman said. Khairulloyev and Kaliyev agreed to hold such meetings regularly.


