TURKMENISTAN, RUSSIA SIGN BORDER TROOP AGREEMENT.

Commanders of Russian and Turkmen border troops have signed an agreement to cooperate in guarding Turkmenistan’s borders. The agreement sets the strength of the operational group of Russian border troops in Turkmenistan at 1,000. An accompanying document establishes a Russian border guard advisory group to train local personnel for Turkmenistan’s border troops. (15) Turkmenistan now relies on Russian support for guarding its borders, but is training its own force. Like other Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan is keen to reduce its dependence on Moscow, but preoccupied with securing its borders against potentially destabilizing penetration.

Moscow Attacks Kazakh Senior Advisor.