Kazakhstan to take over CSTO chairmanship

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Within the framework of the forthcoming session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Minsk, Kazakhstan will take over the chairmanship in the Organization, Chairman of the International Information Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs Talgat Zhumagulov told Kazinform.

"It is expected that while making a speech, Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev will present the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the CSTO for the coming year and outline Astana's vision for further development of the Organization," the Foreign Ministry representative said.

The current year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty and the 15th Anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. During the summit, the Heads of the CSTO Member States will summarize the Organization's activities over the past period, outline the near-term plans, and discuss the current situation in the world and in the CSTO responsibility zone.

"The cooperation within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization is one of the important foreign-policy priorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan's position in the Collective Security Treaty Organization is based on creating the conditions that make it possible to ensure the international and regional stability, to stand against new challenges and threats through strict compliance with the rules of International Law, and to accomplish the tasks related to early prevention of emerging threats," Mr. Zhumagulov underlined.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry commented on the Kazakh-Belarusian agenda of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Minsk and negotiations with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko.