CHOLPAN-ATA, Kyrgyzstan. June 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian 201st motorized rifle division stationed in Tajikistan is expected to acquire the status of a Russian military base shortly, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference that followed a meeting of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers held in Cholpan- Ata on Friday.
Talks on this subject are underway, Ivanov said. Both Russia and Tajikistan want the status of the division clarified, he said. "Russia will retain its military presence in Tajikistan," he said.
In response to questions, Ivanov said that the CIS Council of Defesne Ministers had discussed development of cooperation in the military field. The ministers considered strengthening of the CIS Unified Air Defense System, improvement of functioning of the council's working bodies, development of military and technical cooperation, he said.
In addition, the ministers discussed the Regulation on Collection and Exchange of Data on Aircraft Incidents involving military aircraft of the CIS member nations and approved the list of airfield on the CIS territory allowed for use by aircraft of the CIS member nations.
Establishment of an interstate system of cataloguing military supply items was also on the agenda. Participants in the session believe that introduction of such a system will raise efficiency of military-technical cooperation in the sphere of supply items development, production, procurement, application, import and export.
"Relevance of strengthening military cooperation is explained by the emerging situation in the CIS territory," Ivanov said.
A coalition exercise of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces starts in Kyrgyzstan on Friday, he went on. The CIS defense ministers are expected to observe the war games.
"The defense ministers of the CIS member nations will fly to Kazakhstan tomorrow to see the continuation of the maneuvers," Ivanov added.