The Diplomat:
Defense officials from the six members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gathered in Astana this week for their 13th meeting. Imangali Tasmagambetov, the Kazakh defense minister, hosted ministers from China, Russia, and Tajikistan, as well as the president of the National Defense Affair Committee of Kyrgyzstan, and the army chief of Uzbekistan.
The meeting highlights were standard: mentions of the growing threat of “international terrorism and religious extremism” and emphasis on strengthening cooperation among SCO members.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu came bearing gifts: a delivery of S-300PS surface-to-air missile systems. According to TASS, the delivery of the air defense systems was made free of charge.
“We are paying special attention to development of the Russian-Kazakhstani ties in the field of air missile defense. We have delivered the S-300PS air missile defense systems and missiles for them to Kazakhstan free of charge with an aim to strengthen the unified regional air missile defense system,” Shoigu said
