Russia already supplying modern weapons to Kyrgyzstan - Shoigu
MOSCOW. Feb 3 (Interfax) - Russia started supplying modern Russian arms to the Kyrgyz Armed Forces in December 2013 because of the events in Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday.
"I would like to emphasize the issues which need to be resolved, especially in an atmosphere where the coalition forces are to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014. And here we must do everything to ensure maximum security for our colleagues, our partners in the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization)," the Russian defense minister said while opening talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Taalaibek Omuraliyev in Moscow.
"We are set to provide support to Kyrgyzstan in the sphere of providing security. This gets particularly relevant in light of the events in Afghanistan," Shoigu said.
The Kyrgyz Army will be armed with modern Russian weapons, the Russian defense minister said.
"Necessary contracts have been signed, and we have already started shipments from December last year, as agreed, slightly earlier than stipulated by the (Russian-Kyrgyz) agreement," Shoigu said.
