The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov suggeted while attending maneuvres on the Caspian Sea to establish joint defense force in the Caspian Sea for combatting terrorism. The minister did not exclude that other Caspian littoral states could join the forces along Russia and Kazakhstan. Ivanov was in Kaspiisk, Dagestan, to observe large-scale naval maneuvers in the Caspian waters. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are also participating in the maneuvers, which are to last through Thursday. Turkmenistan and Iran declined to take part. (CNA)