Olga Kovitidi named the most important decisions of the CSTO Collective Security Council

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In her interview to the Federal News Agency (RIA FAN), Olga Kovitidi, member of the CSTO PA Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation and Committee on Defence and Security of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, named the most important decisions of the CSTO Collective Security Council.

The meeting of the Council was held remotely on Wednesday and was chaired by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Collective Security Council adopted a Declaration; its text, as well as a list of documents adopted during the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting, are available at https://kremlin.ru.

“Issues of collective security of the CSTO Member States gain special importance today,” Olga Kovitidi told RIA FAN. “At this historical stage, development and strengthening of collective security become the most important guarantees of regional stability. This is why decisions on swift deployment of collective rapid reaction forces of the CSTO Member States are so relevant and timely. This is especially important given the military and political situation at the Organization’s borders.”

Olga Kovitidi recalled the threats and challenges faced by the CSTO Member States.

“Given the dynamics of various types of threats and the degree of their danger to people, the stance of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov deserves support and international approval,” she noted. “It was Lavrov who drew attention to the need to create a mechanism to counter various threats.”

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges, the senator stressed. “Undoubtedly, amid the coronavirus pandemic that has already claimed thousands of lives and caused significant damage to the world economy, the issues of countering biological threats and strengthening biological security become particularly important,” said Olga Kovitidi.

During the meeting, the heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States noted the threat posed by foreign terrorists returning from the Middle East.

The meeting participants agreed to continue working on improving the exchange of all relevant information between the CSTO Member States, as stated in the joint Declaration of the CSTO Collective Security Council.