The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir PUTIN held a meeting with the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav ZAS.

The meeting addressed the implementation of the plans to combat terrorism and drug threat and the security arrangements for the festivities dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory.
“It is good to see you, Mr Zas, in your new capacity. You are an experienced man. I hope that you use all your experience to enable the CSTO Secretariat to work efficiently, so that all the earlier plans will be implemented,” Kremlin.ru portal quotes the President of the Russian Federation.
President PUTIN explained that he meant the work in the most important areas, such as combating terrorism and drug threat.
TASS reports that Vladimir PUTIN paid special attention to ensuring security during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. “We have many plans, there will be festivities dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and certain events are scheduled within the framework of the CSTO as well. I very much hope that all this will be realized,” said the President of the Russian Federation, recalling that Russia holds the CSTO presidency in 2020.
Vladimir PUTIN assured Stanislav ZAS that this year he plans to work with him more closely “than in the usual mode.”
In his turn, Mr ZAS thanked Mr PUTIN for the opportunity to meet. He stressed that such a dialogue was very important to ensure effective operations of both the CSTO Secretariat and all bodies of the Organization. He briefed Vladimir PUTIN on the current situation and on the tasks that he had set for himself for the future. According to Mr ZAS, “there is a clear understanding of what must be done in the future and in the present.” He also noted that the working bodies and the CSTO Secretariat were fully staffed, but complained about the different skill level of people working in collective bodies.
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