DUSHANBE, 08.11.2018 /NIAT “Khovar”/. The Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon attended the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan.

Also taking part in the CSTO summit were President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Acting Secretary General of the CSTO Valery Semerikov.

The summit’s main focus was on further promotion of cooperation between CSTO members; implementation of the decisions taken at the previous session of the Collective Security Council in November 2017; CSTO priorities during Kyrgyzstan’s presidency in the organization in 2018-2019 and other issues related to international and regional security.

In his address, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon, pointed out about the increase of threats and challenges facing stability and security of countries, including in the CSTO responsibility zone that requires more integration of the CSTO member nations in addressing fight against negative phenomena.

President of our country Emomali Rahmon, in particular, expressed concern about increase in drug trafficking and the difficult military and political situation in Afghanistan.

In this context, the Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, drew attention of heads of the CSTO member states to the issues related to reinforcing Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan and the process of further implementation of the Collective Security Council decision on providing assistance to the Republic of Tajikistan to reinforce its national border with Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and implementation of the targeted interstate program on reinforcing Tajikistan-Afghanistan border.

Further strengthening of the fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime were also emphasized.

The heads of the CSTO member states signed the CSTO Collective Security Council Declaration following the meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council. They also signed the Statement of the Heads of CSTO Member States on coordinated measures against parties to armed conflicts on the side of international terrorist groups.

In particular, 18 decisions were signed aimed at further integration between CSTO member states in various fields.

The results of the meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council were summed up at a press conference with the wide participation of media representatives.