MINSK, 20 March (BelTA) – The CIS needs to work continuously on the improvement of its border controls, Viktor Guminsky, CIS First Deputy Executive Secretary, First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, told BelTA.
In his words, one of the main achievements of the CIS in border protection is the development of the integrated border security system. “We need, however, to improve and strengthen our border control, taking into account such factors as the NATO's build-up in the countries of Eastern Europe, water areas of the Baltic, Barents and Black seas, exacerbation of the military political situation at the border with Afghanistan, unceasing attempts by members of international terrorist and extremism organizations to enter the territory of the CIS member states, and also the return of the persons that were involved in combat operations in the countries with unstable social and political situation,” Viktor Guminsky said. A major destabilizing factor is still the migration flow of people from countries in the Middle East, Afghanistan and North Africa going transit through the territory of the CIS countries to Western Europe.
Today the cooperation is based on the coherent border policy concept approved by the CIS heads of state in 2005. For example, the countries regularly conduct joint operations to curb illegal migration across external borders. In 2016 such operations were held in the western and Central Asian directions. “In 2017, we have scheudeled two operations in the north-western, western and Central Asia direction,” Viktor Guminsky noted.
He also added that continuous assistance is provided to Tajikistan in building border security capacity on the Tajik-Afghan section of the external borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
