DUSHANBE, June 22, 2012, Asia-Plus – The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member nations intend to intensify work on providing support to Tajikistan for enhancement of control of its common border with Afghanistan, the CSTO press center reports.
The working group for Afghanistan under the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers met in Moscow on June 20 to discuss issues related to the current situation in Afghanistan, further possible developments as well as providing security in the CSTO member nations bordering Afghanistan in terms of addressing challenges and threats emanating from Afghanistan.
The meeting participants reportedly underlined the importance of intensification of work on providing assistance to Tajikistan with enhancing control of its common border with Afghanistan, providing the Tajik-Afghan border with modern technical means both on collective and bilateral basis.
The meeting participants also considered and endorsed the plan of work of the Working Group for Afghanistan in the second half of 2012.
The regional security organization was initially formed in 1992 for a five-year period by the members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) — Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, which were joined by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Belarus the following year. A 1994 treaty “reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force,” and prevented signatories from joining any “other military alliances or other groups of states” directed against members states. The CST was then extended for another five-year term in April 1999, and was signed by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. In October 2002, the group was renamed as the CSTO. Uzbekistan became a full participant in the CSTO on June 23, 2006; and its membership was formally ratified by the Uzbek parliament on 28 March 2008. The CSTO is currently an observer organization at the United Nations General Assembly.
