RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER TO SUM UP COMMONWEALTH'S SOUTHERN SHIELD-99

FERGANA, November 3 (AVN) -- Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeev took part in the summing-up session for the Commonwealth's Southern Shield-99 command and staff exercise that finished on Wednesday.

Military commanders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan trained to fight against trans-national terrorism.

"It is the first time in the history of CIS military co-operation when exercise took into account real situation to stand against a real threat", Sergeev said.

The exercise was of coalition nature and became a final stage of several inter-state actions directed for struggle with international terrorism, sergeev added.