Kyrgyz president's son to serve in army
BISHKEK. July 20 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev combines the wishes of university graduates with those who wish to serve in the army in order to increase the prestige of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces.
"We were able to revive the new army and get people to respect the Armed Forces and the prestige of military service again," Atambayev said on Monday at a ceremony presenting a combat flag to a separate operational battalion detachment of the Kyrgyz National Guard.
Atambayev said the increased respect for the army and prestige of military service is shown by the fact that "even university educated people, graduates of prestigious universities now want to serve in the army."
"My son is among them. He will serve in the army this year," the president said, referring to his younger son, who has graduated from a university in Ankara.
He reiterated that the state is doing everything to provide the military and their families with everything they need, emphasizing the quality of training, improved equipment, housing and wage increases.
Atambayev said over 1,000 tonnes of weapons and equipment has now arrived in Kyrgyzstan from Russia and another batch of Russian military assistance will arrive in the country in the nearest future.
The ceremony presenting a combat flag to a separate operational battalion detachment of the Kyrgyz National Guard took place on the territory near the Manas International Airport, which was used as United States airbase and a United States transit center before July 2014. The territory has now been provided to the republic's National Guard.