DUSHANBE, May 22, Asia-Plus – International media forum has opened in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, today morning.
Russia’s RIA Novosti reports the forum is aiming to consider issues related to provision of information security of member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and a role of media in addressing terrorism and extremism challenges.
The forum has brought together known statesmen, political scientists and experts from member nations of the CSTO to discuss opportunities of the press to fight against terrorism, religious and political extremism, racial and ethnic intolerance, as well as influence of media on formation of stability and public accord.
Besides, the meeting is also considering international cooperation in addressing modern challenges and threats as well as potentials of institutions of civil society in this field.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and the CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bardyuzha are expected to address the forum.
In parallel, roundtable meetings and seminar are being held in Bishkek during three days.
The forum was staged by the CIS Antiterrorist Center, CSTO Secretariat and the OSCE Center in Bishkek, Executive Committee of International Media Forum, International Institute for Strategic Studies at the Kyrgyz President, RIA Novosti, etc.
CSTO members – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – use the organization as a platform to fight drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime, and have pledged to provide immediate military assistance to one another in the event of an attack.
The bloc has a Collective Rapid Reaction Force deployed in Central Asia, and is continuing to build up its military forces. Russia earlier said a united regional air defense system could be enlarged to encompass almost all the territory of the former Soviet Union within the CSTO framework in the future.
