CSTO to supply weapons to Tajikistan to protect Afghan border

CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) member-countries will transfer some of their weapons and military vehicles to Tajikistan free of charge for protection of the border with Afghanistan, RIA Novosti writes. CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha emphasized that the countries would not be sending any of their military personnel. “Our goal is to equip Tajikistan’s near-border forces. There is a sufficient number of Tajilk military men there. Each of the member-countries will specify the array of weapons and vehicles that they are ready to supply to Tajikistan free of charge,” Bordyuzha told the journalists. Kazakhstan Prime-Minister Serik Akhmetov stressed that “the growing instability in Afghanistan and activation of Taliban movement force us to brace for possible negative scenarios in Central Asia after 2014”, when the international coalition forces withdraw from Afghanistan. “Security of the Tajik-Afghan border is vital for the whole CSTO. Kazakhstan supports the today’s decision,” the Kazakhstan Prime-Minister said. The CSTO is developing a targeted interstate program to help Tajikistan secure the border with Afghanistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the journalists after the summit of the CSTO Collective Security Council. “We will consider all the possible scenarios, take preventive measures and render additional support to Tajikistan in securing the Tajik-Afghan state border. We have agreed to develop a targeted interstate program for this country,” Putin said. “We will be proactive, at least we will try to. We will jointly help Tajikistan secure the Tajik-Afghan border,” he added. Speaking of the priorities of the Russian chairmanship in the CSTO, Putin named securing of the borders one of the key goals. Kyrgyzstan has transferred the chairmanship in the CSTO to Russia at the organization’s summit in Sochi.