DUSHANBE, June 22, Asia-Plus — President Emomali Rahmonov today afternoon leaves for the Belarus capital city of Minsk to attend the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summits that will be held on June 23, presidential press service reported.
Security Council Secretary Amirqul Azimov, Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov, Defense Minister Sherali Khairulloyev and other high-ranking Tajik officials are accompanying Rahmonov on this trip.
The EAEC Interstate Council is supposed to consider 18 issues and hear report on Uzbekistan’s joining the Community. The summit is aiming to consider proposals on enhancement of a strategy of development of the organization, a progress of work on making corrections to events on the implementation of the main directions of development of the Community designed for 2003-2006 and further years, according to the source. Participants at the summit also will discuss a draft concept of international activity of the EAEC, issues of endorsement of the provisions on a procedure of formation and implementation of the organization’s budget, as well as a progress of implementation of inner-state procedures necessary for international agreements concluded within the EAEC taking effect.
The Community brings together Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The CSTO Collective Security Council meeting in Minsk is expected to consider priorities and main directions of activity of the organization in the coming year, place and role of the CSTO in architecture of international security, prospects of cooperation with other organizations dealing with international security issues. The CSTO heads of state also will discuss a practical realization of decisions that had previously been made within the organization, as well as the organization’s opportunities to adequately address new challenges and threats. The issue of change of a system of management of a Collective Rapid Deployment Force in central Asia has also been tables to the meeting’s agenda.
The CSTO was founded in 2002 by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan to ensure peace, preserve the territorial integrity of member countries, coordinate activities in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crime, and provide immediate military assistance to a CSTO member in the event of a military threat. The Organization’s Collective Rapid Deployment Force in Central Asia includes some 4,000 military personnel, nearly 60 tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs), some 10 guns and mortars, 10 jetfighters and 14 helicopters.
