Russian President Vladimir Putin believes it is necessary to improve the capabilities of peacekeeping missions and develop military and technical cooperation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
"Joint peacekeeping missions are also extremely important today. It is important to further improve the operational capabilities of peacekeeping units and continue working on their inclusion in UN peacekeeping operations," the head of state said Friday in a video address to participants of the meeting of heads of defense departments of SCO and CIS countries.
"We consider it necessary to further develop a constant exchange of information within the SCO and CIS in the sphere of defense policy, share experience in building national armed forces, increase military-technical cooperation and introduce the most modern weaponry and equipment," Putin said.
He pointed out that for many years the military contingents of these countries "work on the issues of coordination and harmonization in the course of joint exercises and other measures of operational and combat training, and regularly conduct maneuvers of collective rapid reaction forces and rapid deployment, reconnaissance and logistical support of the CSTO, exercises of joint air defense system of the CIS, as well as anti-terrorist command and staff exercises of SCO member states. "Such joint exercises and the solution of non-standard tasks are a necessary condition for improving the quality of military management," the Russian leader pointed out.
Putin assured that Moscow cherishes the long-standing traditions of cooperation with the SCO and CIS in the field of training and advanced training of military personnel. "We intend to further actively develop this key direction, to use the scientific potential of Russian military universities and academies for this purpose, to use the basic training and methodological structures and training and combat centers of the Russian Armed Forces," promised the president.
He is confident that "close partnership in the defense sphere will increase the authority and influence" of the member countries of the associations "will help to strengthen security and stability in Eurasia and in the world in general and will further develop traditions of friendship and trust."
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS