Russia and Uzbekistan have agreed to exchange information on the transfer of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS).

This requirement is stipulated in an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries, which was signed during a three-day meeting of the Russian-Uzbek working group for military and technical cooperation. The meeting ended in Moscow on 18 May.

The press service of the [Russian] Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation told ITAR-TASS that it was the first such agreement signed in the CIS. It was concluded in accordance with a decision adopted by the CIS Council of Heads of State on 19 September 2003 on strengthening control over international transfers of such MANPADS as Igla [Needle] and Strela [Arrow]. It is designed to assist in increasing the effectiveness of the fight against international terrorism.

The meeting was presided over by Mikhail Dmitriyev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, and Uzbek Defence Minister Ruslan Mirzayev.