MOSCOW. Nov 10 (Interfax-AVN) - The agenda of the next session of the CIS Defense Ministers Council has been finalized, a competent source in the CIS military cooperation coordination headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Sunday.
The session to be chaired by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is to take place in Moscow on November 20, the source said. The ministers will discuss more that 20 issues related to strengthening of military cooperation in the CIS framework.
"The concept of military cooperation development in the CIS framework for up to 2010 will top the agenda of the session. It covers the entire spectrum of issues related to development of integration processes in the military sphere and will serve as a new impulse in military and military-technical cooperation among the CIS nations," the source said.
According to him, the session will also address the plan of the 50-percent reduction of the CIS military cooperation coordination headquarters and approve the new establishment of this body.
"The defense ministers of the CIS nations will consider a possibility to establish the coordination committee of the Commonwealth's chief signal officers, approve a new statute of the Collective Rapid-Deployment Forces in Central Asia and take other measures related to strengthening of the fight against international terrorism," the source said.
In addition, the session will sum up results of the council's activity for 2002 and approve its work plan for 2003. It will also touch upon other issues pertaining to military cooperation in the CIS framework, the source said.