MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – Yerevan played host to a joint meeting of the CSTO Ministerial Council, the Defense Ministers Council and the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CSTO member states. The event was held prior to a session of the CSTO Collective Security Council with the participation of the leaders of the countries, BelTA has learned.
On behalf of Belarus the meeting was attended by State Secretary of the Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei and Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin.
The event was mostly held behind closed doors. According to the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the parties had a frank exchange of views on a wide range of regional and global security issues, and also on the current military and political situation in the CSTO zone of responsibility.
“In his speech, Vladimir Makei said that the crisis of the existing world order is deepening, affecting all spheres of international relations. The most important institutions responsible for maintaining peace, security and stability such as the UN and the OSCE lost their credibility. A set of international tools in arms control and non-proliferation was destroyed. He expressed deep concern over the unprecedented scale of militarization of the neighboring NATO countries, which contributes to increased military and political tensions and provokes a further arms race,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Belarusian minister of foreign affairs urged the CSTO member states to strengthen cohesion and solidarity in order to better meet today's challenges and threats to security.
Participants of the joint meeting approved a number of documents on issues related to the development and improvement of the CSTO, which were submitted for consideration at the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council.
A number of statements by the ministers of foreign affairs of the CSTO member states were adopted at the meeting as well. They pertained to the topical issues of the international agenda, including a statement on strengthening the international and regional security architecture and arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation developed at the initiative of Belarus.
