MOSCOW, 8 December (BelTA) – A videoconference session of the Military Committee of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) took place on 8 December, the press service of the CSTO Joint Staff told BelTA.
Participants of the session discussed challenges and threats to military security in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia collective security regions as well as matters of further development of the collective air force and the organization of aerial defense of coalition forces during their initial deployment and operation in collective security regions. Decisions were made on further work on improving military infrastructure in Tajikistan's territory for the sake of deploying CSTO coalition forces.
Members of the CSTO Military Committee were informed about priority directions of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's work in the military sphere, which Armenia has suggested for the duration of the country's presidency over the organization in 2022. Participants of the session were informed about Kyrgyzstan's government agencies working to enable defense. Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov informed those present about progress in tapping the CSTO's military potential for UN peacekeeping operations. In particular, he noted that a special representative for peacekeeping operations of the CSTO secretary general has been instituted. A joint working group of representatives of the CSTO Secretariat, the CSTO Joint Staff, and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has been established. Representatives of the CSTO Secretariat and the CSTO Joint Staff have gone to Lebanon to visit the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) in order to study the practical experience of organization of peacekeeping operations under the aegis of the United Nations Organization. Anatoly Sidorov noted that a procedure had been determined for preparing military observers and staff officers for participation in peacekeeping operations.
Participants of the session approved the work of the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy (St Petersburg) as the basic organization for training missile and artillery personnel for CSTO member states.
Summing up results of the session, Chairman of the CSTO Military Committee, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian First Deputy Defense Minister, Army General Valery Gerasimov noted: “The parties exchanged opinions about the state of the military political situation in the collective security regions. A common understanding of the nature of military security challenges and threats by the general staffs of the armed forces of the CSTO member states was reaffirmed. The sides agreed to coordinate joint actions meant to neutralize the security challenges and threats and improve the military potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.”
Chiefs of the general staffs of the armed forces of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and CSTO Deputy Secretary General Takhir Khairulloyev took part in the session.
