CSTO mulls to establish dialog with NATO

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) member-countries have adopted a statement establishing cooperation with NATO (North-Atlantic Treaty Organization), Tengrinews.kz reports citing Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov. “Our work resulted in adoption of the statement establishing cooperation between the CSTO and NATO and approval of the list of topics and possible statements under international organizations in 2012,” Kazykhanov told the journalists. “I would like to draw your attention to the statement of the ministers on establishing the relations with NATO. This is not the first call to NATO to jointly work on those highly important and complicated security issues that both CSTO and NATO member-states are facing,” CSTO General Secretary Bordyuzha said. Besides discussion of the situation in Afghanistan, Syria and the Iranian issue, the Ministers also talked about sanctions against Belarus and the situation in the Caucasus. The decision was made to hold several meetings of defense ministers and security councils’ secretaries prior to the CSTO's anniversary summit that is to be held in Moscow in May. The parties also approved the plan of consultations of representatives of CSTO member-states on foreign policy, security and defense in the second half of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. “This exchange of opinions enabled us to better coordinate our positions and understand the views of the countries on certain security issues faced by our countries and work out several steps to coordinate joint efforts called to minimize the threats,” Bordyuzha said. By Renat Tashkinbayev