23 August 2016•Update: 23 August 2016
By Anees Barghouthi
JERUSALEM
Israel and Kazakhstan are seeking to strengthen security relations ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Astana.
On Monday, Kazakh Defense Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov held talks with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman in Tel Aviv.
According to Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post, Tasmagambetov's visit aimed to deepen the security relationship between the two countries.
Israeli officials told the daily that Kazakhstan was interested in tapping into Israel’s experience with homeland security and border vigilance.
Israel, meanwhile, is interested in selling weapons system to Kazakhstan, but Russia-related sensitivities and concerns that the technology might “leak out” are putting a brake on the Israeli ambitions, according to the daily.
Israeli officials said that there are certain security systems that Israel does not sell to the Russia, and it would be difficult to then turn around and sell the same systems to Astana
According to the officials, the Israeli military industry is pushing for sales to Kazakhstan, believing that it could be one of the major markets for Israel’s weapon industry.
The Kazakh Defense Ministry, for its part, said that Astana and Tel Aviv have reached an agreement on the joint production of Unnamed Aerial Vehicle (UAVs).
Under the agreement, the UAV’s will be produced in Kazakhstan, using Israeli technology.
Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Astana late this year and he will be the first ever sitting Israeli prime minister to visit central Asia.
