The 73rd session of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers took place in Dushanbe on October 12. The meeting participants included Defense Ministers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the Chief of the General Staff of Kyrgyzstan and Turkmen Defense Attaché.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry’s official website the meeting participants agreed on joint plan aimed to enhance combat potential of the Joint CIS Air Defense System.
Noting the role of the Joint CIS Air Defense System in ensuring security of the CIS member-states, they reportedly agreed on joint arrangements concerning Joint CIS AD System.
It is planned to hold the Regional Security 2018 computer command post exercise and other events aimed to improve combat potential of the Joint CIS AD System.
The session discussed a number of issues regarding multilateral cooperation on defense and security. The session participants also exchanged views on military and political situation on the CIS southern border and its impact on security in Central Asia.
Realizing the significance of expansion of cooperation on information support, the session decided to establish a Coordinating Committee on information support for CIS defense ministries and adopted Regulations on it.
Established on December 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional organization. It now consists of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Georgia pulled out of the organization in 2009.
In 1992, the CIS Charter establishes the Council of Ministers of Defense, which is vested with the task of coordinating military cooperation of the CIS member states. To this end, the Council develops conceptual approaches to the questions of military and defense policy of the CIS member states; develops proposals aimed to prevent armed conflicts on the territory of the member states or with their participation; gives expert opinions on draft treaties and agreements related to the questions of defense and military developments; issues related suggestions and proposals to the attention of the CIS Council of the Heads of State. Also important is the Council’s work on approximation of the legal acts in the area of defense and military development.
