World news story

Welsh Commader of 160 Brigade visited Kazakhstan

Brigadier Martyn Gamble, the newly appointed Commander 160 (Wales) Brigade, made his initial visit to Kazakhstan 5-6 March.

• From: British Embassy Astana
• Published: 17 March 2014

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

As part of the UK’s Defence Engagement Strategy, 160 (Wales) Brigade has assumed responsibility for being the focus for Military Cooperation with the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan. The new strategy was explained to Defence Minister Dzhaksybekov by the UK Chief of the General Staff when the former visited London 30-31 October.

Brigadier Gamble met with Major Generals Ospanov and Bizhanov in the Ministry of Defence on 5 March before travelling to Almaty to meet representatives of the Airmobile Forces. The discussions were most productive and the issues discussed included:

• development of Kazakhstan’s Peacekeeping capability through the assistance of BMATT(CZ)
• plans for UK participation in the sniper Exercise GOLDEN OWL at Karaganda in July and in Exercise STEPPE
  EAGLE at the US Training Centre at Hohenfels in Germany in September
• Kazakh participation in the Cambrian Patrol Competition in Wales in October.

Published 17 March 2014