BISHKEK, September 21 (RIA Novosti) - Member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will hold military exercises in 2006-2007 to ensure stability in the region and test the mobility of armed forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Wednesday.
"Military exercises of SCO countries have been scheduled for 2006-2007, and some other forces will also be involved," Ivanov said after talks with his counterpart from Kyrgyzstan, Ismail Isakov.
Ivanov said close military cooperation both within the framework of the SCO, which comprises Russia, Kyrgyzstan, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a regional group of six former Soviet states, had been discussed during the talks.
The parties also considered the situation in Afghanistan.
"Of course, we touched upon this issue, but the closure of the American base in Kyrgyzstan was not discussed today," Isakov said.
