Azernews.Az

Kazakh Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov and his Italian counterpart, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, who is on his first official visit to Kazakhstan, signed an agreement on military equipment and personnel transit on Tuesday, the Kazakh Defense Ministry reported.

According to the agreement, Kazakhstan following implementation of some law procedures will allow Italy to transport military equipment and personnel through its territory as Italian troops participate in the mission of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The agreement envisages transit of the Italian Armed Forces' military personnel and equipment through Kazakhstan's territory by rail and by air.

Kazakhstan has already signed similar agreements with other participants of the ISAF mission - the US, Germany, Spain, Britain, France and NATO, as an international organization.

Within the meeting the defense ministers of the two countries exchanged views on security in Central Asia, and in particular on the current and future development of the situation in Afghanistan.

Moreover the parties discussed military cooperation between the two countries.

"The parties discussed development of military cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy, including the defense industry, the acquisition of the military equipment of the latest design, surveillance and communications systems, as well as interaction of land forces of the two countries," the Ministry said.