ASTANA. Feb 17 (Interfax-Kazakhstan) - Kazakhstan can mobilize 1.5 million people if there is a military threat to Kazakhstan or if there is a need to defend the country's borders.
"The answer to how we will oppose a military threat to Kazakhstan is (the same as the) answer to the question about the combat preparedness of the territorial defense forces. (Our) territorial defense is some 1.5 million armed people who can be called to duty within a certain period of time," Kazakh Defense Minister Mukhtar Altynbayev told the Kazakh parliament on Monday.
At the same time, Altynbayev pointed out the importance of conducting a diplomatic dialogue with neighboring countries and preventing a military conflict. "If we let a military conflict happen, it means that we are 'a zero' as politicians and diplomats," he said. "It's better to be friends with the neighbors, in particular with China and Russia," he said.
Altynbayev recalled that Kazakhstan is conducting negotiations on military issues with these countries. "For example, China and Kazakhstan have signed a treaty banning military threats on the border by the countries that signed the document," Altynbayev said. He stressed that China signs such documents very rarely.
Speaking about his country's ties with Russia, Altynbayev said that military and technical ties are increasing. In particular, he said that Kazakhstan has begun procedures to accept a second MI-17B-5 helicopter. Earlier reports showed that the first MI-17B-5 helicopter was purchased by the Kazakh armed forces form Russia in December 2002. All in all, Kazakhstan is planning to buy 14 new helicopters from Russia's Kazan Helicopter Plant over the next few years.
Kazakhstan has a population of over 14.8 million.