Visit by Kyrgyzstan Defence Minister to USI on 09 September 2011
A Report
General
The Kyrgyzstan Defence Minister, Major General Kudaiberdiev Abibilla Alymovich visited USI from 1530 to 1700 on 09 Sep 2011.
Major General PJS Sandhu (Retd), officiating Director welcomed him to USI on behalf of the Director, Lieutenant General PK Singh, PVSM, AVSM (Retd).
He introduced the following representatives of USI to the Hon’able Defence Minister :-
(a) Maj Gen MP Bhagat, PVSM (Retd) – Former Force Cdr, UNOSOM-II and Deputy Military Adviser to the UN Secretary General
(b) Maj Gen YK Gera, Consultant Research, USI
(c) Brig MS Chowdhury, VSM (Retd), Chief Instructor, USI
(d) Brig P George, DDG SD, Army HQ
(e) Col Rajeev Agarwal, Dir Coord, DGMI AHQ
(f) Col MK Bindal, Secretary / Coordinator, CUNPK
(g) Maj GD Katyal, GSO1, CUNPK
(h) Gp Capt Agrawal, Senior Research Fellow, USI
(j) Lt Col BS Varma, AD, USI
Conduct
The meeting commenced with a briefing by Maj Gen PJS Sandhu about USI and its activities. Thereafter, brief presentations were given by the following:
(a) Brig P George highlighted India’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping, as a Founder Member since 1950.
(b) Col MK Bindal gave a detailed briefing about the national and international courses, pre-induction training of UN contingents at CUNPK as also about India’s partnership with International Association for Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC). It was highlighted that CUNPK has been holding the secretariat of IAPTC since Oct 2005.
Remarks by Hon’ble Defence Minister of Kyrgyzstan
The Hon’ble Defence Minister of Kyrgyzstan thanked the USI for the interesting presentations on USI, UN Peacekeeping operations and training of military personnel from different countries for UN peacekeeping missions across the world. He expressed his confidence that in the near future Kyrgyzstan would also be sending their forces to form part of UN Peacekeeping missions, first as Observers and thereafter as small contingents. He hoped that the Indian side would help them in training their military personnel.
The Defence Minister also visited briefly the UN International Peacekeeping Course in progress in Seminar Room No 1. An Officer from Kyrgyz Army attending the course was introduced to the Defence Minister.
Concluding Remarks by Officiating Director, USI
Maj Gen PJS Sandhu, assured the Hon’ble Defence Minister of Kyrgyzstan that India would be very happy to help the Kyrgyz Republic in training their military personnel for peacekeeping missions. CUNPK could even conduct special courses, if such a request is received from them. We would also welcome a bi-lateral dialogue with any Kyrgyz institution that they may consider appropriate. Further, any research scholars from Kyrgyzstan visiting India could use research facilities at USI.
Conclusion
The interaction ended with exchange of mementoes and presentation of the book ‘For the Honour of India – A History of Indian Peacekeeping’ and the latest issue of the USI Journal to the visiting delegation.
(Report compiled by Lt Col BS Varma, Assistant Director USI)