DUSHANBE, 20.05.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – Yesterday, a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO Ministerial Council) was held in Dushanbe.

Chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tajikistan Sirojiddin Mukhriddin, the meeting was attended by foreign ministers of Armenia Ara Ayvazyan, Belarus Vladimir Makei, Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Kazakbayev, Russia Sergei Lavrov, and CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas.

Before the meeting, the officials were received by the Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

The meeting was held in a narrow and expanded formats. The ministers focused on the state and prospects of the development of international and regional situation and its impact on the security of the CSTO member states.

They paid particular attention to the action plan for the implementation of the decisions of the session of the Collective Security Council and the implementation of the priority areas proposed by Tajikistan.

Muhriddin noted that Tajikistan, as the chairman, since December 2020, has been consistently implementing the current CSTO agenda aimed at further developing the system of collective security and regional stability, while always being guided by the principles laid down in the charter of the organization.

In light of the upcoming significant dates for the CSTO in 2022 — the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the organization itself, the ministers discussed the preparations for the anniversary events and the corresponding interaction between the member states.

The ministers also adopted a number of statements on topical issues on the international agenda. In particular, statements were adopted on the 75th anniversary of the verdict of the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, on the extension of the START-3 Treaty, as well as on cooperation with states and international organizations.

The decision on joint measures of our diplomatic missions to increase information work on the CSTO activities and the plan of consultations of representatives of ministries and departments of the CSTO member states on foreign policy, security and defense for the second half of 2021 — the first half of 2022 were also considered and adopted.

In light of the forthcoming withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, foreign ministers also paid special attention to the situation in the neighboring country. The parties stated that the Afghan problem directly affects the situation in Central Asia, in connection with which they came to a common opinion on the importance of strengthening the CSTO southern borders. They noted the need to coordinate and adopt the draft of the Target Interstate Program of the CSTO to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan section of the border, which is being prepared by the Tajik side together with the member states of the organization with the expert support of the CSTO Secretariat.

In connection with the official appeal of the Armenian side, the meeting also focused on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ayvazyan presented relevant information to the members of the CSTO Ministerial Council.

The meeting also touched upon the recent incident on the Tajik-Kyrgyz border. The ministers were unanimous in the opinion that such issues should be resolved exclusively through negotiations and the search for mutually acceptable solutions, based on the principles of friendship and good neighborliness.

The ministers also discussed a possible range of countries and organizations that could acquire the observer and partner status of the CSTO. It was agreed to consider the candidacies of states and organizations with which the CSTO has already established certain contacts, including the CIS and the SCO.

Following the meeting, relevant decisions were approved and signed.