The U.S. Embassy to Uzbekistan said on Wednesday the U.S. Central Command and Uzbekistan's Defense Ministry had signed a security cooperation program for 2011. 'The program outlines a series of mutually agreed-upon engagements and training opportunities for fiscal year 2011,' the embassy said. The move comes during a visit of U.S. Central Commander General James Mattis to this central Asian country. During his visit, Mattis and Uzbek Defense Minister Kabul Berdiev also exchanged opinions over regional security issues and Afghanistan issue. The United States used an airbase in Uzbekistan as part of operations in Afghanistan from 2001 until 2005, but now has since relied exclusively on the Manas facility near Bishkek, capital city of Uzbekistan's neighboring Kyrgyzstan. 