Russian and US senior military officers have agreed to discuss major military issues by phone or at regular bilateral meetings amid the frozen bilateral ties, local media reported on Tuesday.

The agreement was reached between Chairman of the Russian General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen during a two-hour secret meeting in Helsinki on Tuesday.

"The meeting focused on a broad range of issues, primarily regional and global security. We had a very frank and principled conversation," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Makarov as saying.

Relations between Moscow and Washington were further soured following Russia's five-day war with Georgia in August over the latter's breakaway region of South Ossetia. Washington blamed Russia's actions but Moscow accused Washington of providing military aid to Tbilisi.

The senior officers discussed the situation in the Caucasus region, repeating each other's stance.

Russia is to equip and put into service its military bases in South Ossetia and another Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia in 2009, Makarov said.

There will be 3,700 servicemen at each base that was designated to protect interests of Russia and the two republics that have been recognized as independent states by Russia.

"I think it will take no less than 12 months to fully equip the bases in accordance with their mission," Makarov said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2008)