CSTO leaders gather in Dushanbe for summit

Leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) gathered Tuesday in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe for a summit.

The heads of state of the six members discussed a number of topical issues, particularly, the unannounced inspections of the CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces held in Tajikistan this year, and the further development of the CSTO military component.

More than 10 joint documents are to be signed at the summit, including a leaders' statement on key approaches to new challenges and threats that would underline the ability of the CSTO countries to settle regional and international problems collectively.

The CSTO foreign ministers, defense ministers and the secretaries of defense council held a joint session, where they approved the organization's results for 2014-2015 and identified development prospects.

Ahead of the summit, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, whose country holds the bloc's rotating presidency, met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the development of strategic partnership between the two countries.

Putin said Russia worries about a possible spillover of violence from Afghanistan into Tajikistan and other Central Asian states.

"Tajikistan was faced with certain problems, with attempts to destabilize the situation," Putin said, adding that "Tajikistan could always count on our help and support."

The two sides also exchanged views on trade, economy and migration.

A day before the summit, Rahmon and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev met and discussed the prospects of further expanding of bilateral cooperation. The two presidents stressed that energy, agriculture and trade are key to bilateral cooperation.

Besides, border problems, development of cross-border trade, expansion of transit transportation, and construction of gas pipelines and power transition lines were also among the agenda.

The Russia-led CSTO, founded in May 1992, is a security group that also comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Source: XINHUA