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NATO’s security goals at odds with interests of Central Asian nations — Russian diplomat

"The bloc’s so-called support program is aimed at expanding its geopolitical influence rather than at really strengthening the defense industries of its partners," Maria Zakharova added

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. The obsession of the US and NATO to build security cooperation has nothing to do with the interests of Central Asian countries, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

"It’s safe to say that the obsession of the US and NATO allies to build cooperation, particularly in the field of defense and security, has nothing to do with the interests of Central Asian countries who are friendly towards Russia," she noted, commenting on reports of NATO experts conducting trainings for cadets from the Uzbek Defense Ministry’s Training Center for Junior Specialists.

"The bloc’s so-called support program is aimed at expanding its geopolitical influence rather than at really strengthening the defense industries of its partners," Zakharova added.

On July 13, 1994, Uzbekistan signed the framework document of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program and started building practical cooperation with the alliance in a number of fields, including military personnel training, as well as the fight against terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other global threats.

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