Zhanarbek Akayev: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are the vanguard in the fight against the spread of terrorism and drug trafficking

“We need to consolidate our efforts and consistently strengthen the development of regional cooperation on all aspects of the CSTO competence and build our capacity as a military and political international organization capable of promptly responding to security challenges and threats,” said Zhanarbek Akayev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on International Affairs, Defence, Security and Migration of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic, at a meeting of the chairpersons of foreign affairs committees of the parliaments of CSTO States. Zhanarbek Akayev said, “The Afghan issue is important for Kyrgyzstan because all the threats emanating from Afghanistan are directly linked to Kyrgyzstan,” and therefore measures are needed to strengthen the border between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan as a second line of defence.
Zhanarbek Akayev recalled that during the CSTO session on September 16, 2021, Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, noted that it was necessary to strengthen the Kyrgyz-Tajik border as the second line of defence of the CSTO region, since Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are the vanguard for fighting the spread of terrorism and illicit drug trafficking.
“I would like to note that it is impossible to achieve great success without mutual support in strengthening and reforming the defence, law enforcement and military-technical potential of the CSTO Member States to meet modern standards,” Zhanarbek Akayev stressed.
He reminded that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the CSTO. “Today it is safe to say that during this period, the CSTO has become an influential structure that gained authority in the region and on the international arena,” said the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for International Affairs, Defence, Security and Migration of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic.