TASHKENT, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on Monday signed an agreement to enhance military cooperation.

The deal was inked by Uzbekistan’s Defense Minister Bakhodir Kurbanov and his Kazakh counterpart Murat Bektanov in Tashkent, the Uzbek Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The two discussed regional security issues, areas of military and technical cooperation, and military exercises held between the two countries.

Kurbanov and Bektanov agreed to boost cooperation in all military matters as they signed an agreement that aims to increase collaboration and joint activities between the two nations, the statement said.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz