MOSCOW, 2 February (BelTA) – The Collective Security Treaty Organization has not received official applications from other countries to join the organization, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said at an online press briefing when asked about the CSTO expansion plans, BelTA has learned.
"So far, we have not received any formal applications from other countries. As soon as we get them, we will make this information public," Stanislav Zas said.
He stressed that the CSTO is an open organization. "We welcome closer cooperation. We welcome all states that share our principles and the approaches to security that we implement in practice," said the CSTO secretary general. “Therefore, if any country friendly to all our states expresses such a desire, we will consider it. This issue is very important and we need to act very carefully without forcing events, so that we strengthen our organization, not vice versa, break it down and weaken."
