DUSHANBE, April 18, Asia-Plus  – Tajikistan will participate in a command-staff drill for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) air-defense forces scheduled for April 22, according to the Ministry of Defense (MoD)

The source at a MoD said that the exercise is held in accordance with a plan of joint events of the CIS unified air-defense system.  According to him, air maneuvers will be held in Tajikistan.  Major-General Rahmonali Safaraliyev will be in command of maneuvers that will be held in the territory of Tajikistan.

In the meantime, Russian media say that an April 22 air-defense drill will involve over 100 military aircraft.   The exercise will be supervised by the Russian Air Force commander will be conducted by the joint CIS air defense control bodies under the military block''s joint action plan.

Over 20 issues relating to strengthening air borders of the CIS countries will be covered during the drill.  Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will take part in the exercise.   

In late November, CIS defense ministers reaffirmed their plans to develop a joint air defense network and to conduct joint military exercises.

The network was set up by 10 CIS-member countries on February 10, 1995, but so far exists only on paper.  Nevertheless, CIS partners, a loose collection of former Soviet republics, regularly hold joint exercises, involving respective Air Force and air defense units.