MINSK, 15 September (BelTA) - Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei took part in a joint meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council, Defense Ministers Council and the Committee of Security Council Secretaries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 15 September, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The participants exchanged views on the political and military situation in the CSTO collective security regions. The parties discussed the situation in Afghanistan in the context of challenges and threats the CSTO member states may face after the hasty withdrawal of the Western coalition troops and the change of authority in this state.
“Vladimir Makei informed the participants of the meeting on the development of the situation in the European region, outlined Belarus' approaches to the current problems of regional and international security. The minister emphasized the aggravation of the systemic crisis in international relations, the deepening of political instability and the growth of contradictions and also military and political confrontation between the main centers of power. Vladimir Makei expressed concern over the continuing degradation of international arms control instruments, confidence and security-building measures,” the ministry said.
Armenia presented the priority areas of the CSTO activities for the period of its presidency in the organization in 2021-2022.
The meeting resulted in the adoption of statements of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CSTO member states on the situation in Afghanistan, on collective efforts to resolve crisis situations in the Middle East and North Africa, on reaffirming commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and strengthening cooperation to ensure their strict observance, on the coordination of joint efforts in information security, including countering the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist and other criminal purposes, and also on the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The participants of the joint meeting approved a number of documents on the issues related to the functioning and development of the CSTO, which were submitted to the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council.
