"Within the next few weeks, I believe we will sign an agreement on the holding of joint exercises over the next three years," Anatoly Serdyukov, currently on a visit to Kazakhstan, told reporters.

Some 2,000 Russian and Kazakh paratroopers will conduct a joint counterinsurgency tactical exercise later on Friday.

A Kazakh Defense Ministry spokesman said the 2008 Kazakh-Russian military cooperation program includes a series of joint operational and combat training activities.