The Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states is set to convene in Almaty.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova previously confirmed the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the meeting. According to Zakharova, the foreign ministers of the CSTO will discuss the international and regional situation, review various aspects of cooperation within the organization, and explore mechanisms to strengthen foreign policy coordination. It is expected that the ministers will approve several draft resolutions to be submitted for approval at the Collective Security Council meeting in November 2024.
The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which currently holds the CSTO chairmanship, stated that the meeting will conclude with the signing of documents aimed at further improving the organization's activities, along with the adoption of several political statements.
Withdrawal or Suspension
It has been reported that Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan does not plan to attend this meeting, making it the first CSTO CFM session without Armenian participation.
Previously, Armenia had already skipped some CSTO events after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced in February 2024 that Armenia was suspending its participation in the CSTO. According to Pashinyan, the next logical step in Armenia's relations with the CSTO would be to exit the organization.
Despite this, the CSTO Secretariat has emphasized that it still considers Armenia a full-fledged member. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow hopes for the predominance of alliance and partnership in its dialogue with Armenia.
Challenges and Threats
Ahead of this meeting, on June 6, CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov and security council secretaries discussed measures to neutralize common threats. The meeting addressed, among other issues, the military-political situation within the CSTO's area of responsibility. "The situation in the CSTO's area of responsibility remains difficult and tends to worsen. One of the main reasons for this is the policies of Western countries, primarily the USA, the UK, and the European Union, aimed at dismantling the international security system," stated Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu.
Tasmagambetov previously highlighted that the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall posed a new challenge for CSTO member states, necessitating the development of new counter-terrorism tools. He also noted that Afghanistan remains a central concern, being a major source of instability and transboundary threats in Central Asia.
New Security Strategy
It is anticipated that the ministers will also discuss a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who emphasized the need for extensive discussions on bilateral and multilateral guarantees of collective security in Eurasia.
Putin remarked that the CSTO and other Eurasian international organizations should enhance dialogue to promote the concept of an Eurasian security system. "In the long run, we should aim for the gradual withdrawal of foreign military presence in the Eurasian region," the Russian president noted.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials