President of Kazakhstan and US general discuss bilateral cooperation

On Wednesday President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and General Tommy Franks, commander-in-chief of the US Central Command, discussed in Astana problems of regional security and bilateral cooperation.

A RIA Novosti correspondent reports that Mukhtar Altynbayev, head of the Defence Ministry of Kazakhstan, told journalists that during the meeting the sides discussed, in particular, the situation in Afghanistan and around Iraq.

According to Altynbayev, the USA is ready to render gratis assistance in strengthening the infrastructure of the Western Military District of Kazakhstan. Agreement was reached on providing Astana with cross-country cars and new helicopters. Apart form that, the American side is ready to receive Kazakh military for training in specialized American establishments.

General Franks, in his turn, noted to journalists that during the meeting with the President of Kazakhstan he expressed to him gratitude for support to the efforts of the anti-terror coalition in Afghanistan. The general said that Kazakhstan was among the first to offer assistance to the anti-terror coalition.

General Franks noted that Kazakhstan "has been ours our partner not only since September 2001, but during the preceding five years.