MOSCOW - Afghanistan, whose army is almost totally equipped with Russian weapons, secured promises of further military cooperation from Moscow on Monday as Russia sought to boost its standing in the region.

Defence Minister Mohammad Fahim, the most senior member of the Afghan interim government to travel to Moscow since the administration took power, won a warm welcome from his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov at the start of a seven-day trip.

"We think your visit heralds a new stage of cooperation in every field, including the military one," a beaming Ivanov told his guest as the talks began.

Fahim said Russia had provided invaluable help to Afghanistan in its fight against international terrorism. "And we hope that this help will continue."

Before setting off on the trip, Fahim had said Kabul urgently needed to resume buying Russian military hardware for its nascent armed forces which are due to supersede a multitude of armed groups loyal to local tribal leaders.

During a break in Monday's talks at Russia's imposing Soviet-era Defence Ministry, he said Afghanistan was mainly aiming to acquire equipment to improve its army's logistics.

But Russian television has quoted newspaper reports as saying Kabul was also interested in buying Russian helicopter gunships, multiple rocket launchers, tanks and assault rifles.

Fahim and Ivanov said Afghanistan was planning to pay Russia for any further arms deliveries.

The two men last met in Afghanistan's neighbour Tajikistan in October as Washington was launching its successful campaign to topple the radical Taliban.

Moscow, which withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 after a disastrous 10-year military occupation, played an important role in U.S. war efforts by supplying arms to its former enemies - the mujahideen - who fought against the Taliban.

Russia, fighting Islamic rebels in Chechnya and fearing a further spread of religious extremism on its territory, quickly sided with Washington's drive to root out the Taliban in the wake of the September 11 hijack attacks on U.S. cities.

As the Taliban fled, Moscow sent emergency aid to Kabul and provided engineering help to clear a key mountain pass.

Ivanov said Russia, itself a multi-ethnic state, was ready to counsel Afghanistan on how to establish a national army.

"We are very glad, even flattered that our experience in setting up a multi-ethnic armed force can be used in Afghanistan and we are ready to help the Afghan people," Ivanov told reporters after the first round of talks.

The two men were due to meet again on Tuesday.