The Defense Minister noted that the situation in the country is fraught with the transition of militants to the CSTO countries
MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the warning actions of the CSTO countries against the threat from Afghanistan correct and called for the further development of military cooperation within the organization, the Russian ministry reported on Saturday.
"The events in Afghanistan, everything that is happening there, just made it clear to us that we are doing everything right in terms of the CSTO," the ministry quoted the minister as saying yesterday at a meeting in Kazan with representatives of regional media.
The Minister noted that when the events in Afghanistan began to develop, the CSTO countries began joint exercises, including Russia conducted conscientious maneuvers with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the border with Afghanistan. As well as the exercises, where three CSTO countries - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia-became participants. "Naturally, we are in full contact with the CSTO members on Afghanistan <...> Therefore, our cooperation within the CSTO should be strengthened," Shoigu stressed.
He noted that the situation in Afghanistan is fraught with the transition of militants to the CSTO countries, and drug trafficking is also a threat. "And, of course, we would not like all this to cross over to our territories, the territories of the CSTO countries," Shoigu said. Therefore, he said, the program for the rearmament of the armies of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan will be continued.
"In the end, we would like stability to come there, for a coalition government to be formed, for all the peoples who inhabit Afghanistan to enter there, and peace really came there in the end," the minister concluded.
