Tag Archives: defence

Russia protests Georgian military exercises

NOV. 15 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Russian government sent an official protest note to Georgia over Georgian-NATO military exercises which it described as a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. NATO keeps a permanent training base in Georgia. Both NATO and Georgia shrugged off the Russian complaint and said they were not aimed at Russia. Georgia wants to join NATO.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 305, published on Nov. 18 2016)

Georgia’s defence minister to return conscription

NOV. 7 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Georgia’s new defence minister, Levan Izoria, has said that he may reverse a decision by his predecessor to scrap military conscription next year, media reported. Georgia announced in June that it was going to scrap conscription, part of a drive to professionalise its military. It wants to join NATO and has sent its forces to Afghanistan and Iraq. By regional standards, Georgia’s army already looks and feels like a Western army. Only non- combat roles are filled with conscripts. Media reported that Mr Izoria had said that conscription was useful in helping ethnic minorities integrate.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 304, published on Nov. 11 2016)

Armenia approves missile deal with Russia

OCT. 14 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s parliament approved a missile defence deal with Russia that will mean it relies increasingly heavily on the Kremlin for its defences, media reported. Russia already maintains a large military base in Armenia, seen as essential for keeping its various enemies (mainly Azerbaijan and Turkey) at arms length. Importantly, officials also said that the missile defence deal with Russia did not cover the region of Nagorno-Karabakh which Armenia disputes with Azerbaijan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 301, published on Oct. 21 2016)

Tajikistan starts military exercises with China

OCT. 20 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Tajikistan and China start joint military exercises on the Tajik-Afghan border. The exercises come a month after China announced that it was going to build a network of border posts along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. It is increasingly worried about security along the southern fringe of Central Asia. In August a suicide bomber attacked the Chinese embassy in Bishkek.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 301, published on Oct. 21 2016)

Azerbaijan shakes up security

DEC. 14 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to create two new security agencies, the State Security Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service, and disband the National Security Ministry. Earlier this year, Mr Aliyev sacked Eldar Mahmudov as national security minister. The next day police arrested several ministry officials.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 261, published on Dec. 20 2015)

Kazakhstan to produce defence kit

JUNE 9 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – A Kazakh agricultural equipment manufacturer is in negotiations with a Turkish company to buy the licence to manufacture its armoured vehicles. Kazakhstan has previously said that it wants to improve and strengthen its defence sector manufacturing base.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 235, published on June 11 2015)