A high level of terrorist threat and drug trafficking remain serious threats that emanate from the territory of Afghanistan, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said at a joint meeting of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the XV plenary meeting of the CSTO PA in Moscow, Interfax reports.
"In the Central Asian region, there are still challenges and threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan. First of all, this is a high level of terrorist danger and drug trafficking," said Zas, whose speech is posted on the CSTO website.
"Under these conditions, work to assist Tajikistan in strengthening security on the Tajik-Afghan border remains relevant," Zas said.
"We intend to conduct an in-depth exchange of views and information at the upcoming meeting of the Working Group on Afghanistan under the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers on December 8 this year," the CSTO Secretary General said.
Security on the Tajik-Afghan border needs to be strengthened, Speaker of the Tajik Parliament Rustam Emomali also said. He also took part in the XV joint session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, which took place on December 5 in the Hall of Columns in Moscow, the Khovar agency reports.
The current situation in Afghanistan causes concern, Rustam Emamoli believes.
“Today, the situation poses a real and most likely threat to the interests of collective security. In this situation, our countries must jointly take urgent measures to secure the southern borders of the CSTO and minimize threats coming from the direction,” Rustami Emomali said.
He pointed out that the threats coming from Afghanistan are currently growing. These include terrorism, extremism and radicalism, transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 6, 2022