Kazakh Prime Minister attended Steppe Eagle-2010 drills
ALMATY REGION. August 21. KAZINFORM /Daniyar Sikhimbayev/ Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov has visited Iliysky Training Center, where special tactical-peacekeeping drills Steppe Eagle 2010 are held.
As reported earlier, the armed forces of Kazakhstan, Britain and the US are taking part in the exercise.
Kazakh Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov showed the Prime Minister a training center, equipment and armament, including Hummer off-road vehicles, Huey-II helicopters, munitions, mine detectors, protection and communications equipment, airborne equipment, armored vehicles, etc.
From the lookout tower the guests watched as the divisions of Kazakhstan's peacekeeping battalion demonstrated episodes of military detection and neutralization of improvised explosive devices, the defeat of an armed militants' attack.
The joint drills were started in 2003. This year about a thousand soldiers and a hundred units of equipment are involved in the exercise.
"The USA has been taking part in Steppe Eagle drills since 2006. Our main purpose is to develop interoperability between units of the three states. It is important for us to contribute to partnership between our countries and establish strong relations between the defense ministries", says Col. George Cone, Director of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.
The Steppe Eagle is included in the Kazakhstan's Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO as part of Partnership for Peace program.
The drills will last till August 27.