٠٠:٠٤:١٦Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) countries should negotiate 'problematic issues' rather than 'make demarches', commenting on the absence of Armenian representatives at the organisation’s meeting in Minsk on Thursday.
"We discussed the situation in the Caucasus and some of the frustrations of one of the Collective Security Council members. We came to the unanimous conclusion that there have always been and will always be problematic issues. If we intend to solve them, we should solve them at the negotiating table, not make demarches for no reason, for no particular reason," the Belarusian president stated.
Lukashenko also expressed hope that the Armenian delegation would participate in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the CIS informal summit to be held in Saint Petersburg this December.
In turn, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named priority directions for the CSTO under Kazakhstan’s chairmanship next year, among which co-operation with international organisations, military co-operation and joint fight against terrorism.
"We propose to focus on maintaining the established level of co-operation with the United Nations and its structures," Tokayev said. "We are in favour of further deepening co-operation with the CIS and the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation."
"Close attention will be paid to the anti-terrorist component of the collective security system. Joint work should be continued to prevent our citizens planning to join terrorist groups from travelling abroad," he continued.
The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Armenia is not taking part, following a row over Azerbaijan's retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh in September and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's claim that the CSTO had failed to protect his country's interests. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that the Armenian prime minister’s decision was 'regrettable'.
'Problematic issues' should be solved 'at negotiating table', not by 'demarches' - Lukashenko on Armenia’s absence at CSTO Summit
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) countries should negotiate 'problematic issues' rather than 'make demarches', commenting on the absence of Armenian representatives at the organisation’s meeting in Minsk on Thursday.
"We discussed the situation in the Caucasus and some of the frustrations of one of the Collective Security Council members. We came to the unanimous conclusion that there have always been and will always be problematic issues. If we intend to solve them, we should solve them at the negotiating table, not make demarches for no reason, for no particular reason," the Belarusian president stated.
Lukashenko also expressed hope that the Armenian delegation would participate in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the CIS informal summit to be held in Saint Petersburg this December.
In turn, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named priority directions for the CSTO under Kazakhstan’s chairmanship next year, among which co-operation with international organisations, military co-operation and joint fight against terrorism.
"We propose to focus on maintaining the established level of co-operation with the United Nations and its structures," Tokayev said. "We are in favour of further deepening co-operation with the CIS and the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation."
"Close attention will be paid to the anti-terrorist component of the collective security system. Joint work should be continued to prevent our citizens planning to join terrorist groups from travelling abroad," he continued.
The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Armenia is not taking part, following a row over Azerbaijan's retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh in September and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's claim that the CSTO had failed to protect his country's interests. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that the Armenian prime minister’s decision was 'regrettable'.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) countries should negotiate 'problematic issues' rather than 'make demarches', commenting on the absence of Armenian representatives at the organisation’s meeting in Minsk on Thursday.
"We discussed the situation in the Caucasus and some of the frustrations of one of the Collective Security Council members. We came to the unanimous conclusion that there have always been and will always be problematic issues. If we intend to solve them, we should solve them at the negotiating table, not make demarches for no reason, for no particular reason," the Belarusian president stated.
Lukashenko also expressed hope that the Armenian delegation would participate in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the CIS informal summit to be held in Saint Petersburg this December.
In turn, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev named priority directions for the CSTO under Kazakhstan’s chairmanship next year, among which co-operation with international organisations, military co-operation and joint fight against terrorism.
"We propose to focus on maintaining the established level of co-operation with the United Nations and its structures," Tokayev said. "We are in favour of further deepening co-operation with the CIS and the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation."
"Close attention will be paid to the anti-terrorist component of the collective security system. Joint work should be continued to prevent our citizens planning to join terrorist groups from travelling abroad," he continued.
The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Armenia is not taking part, following a row over Azerbaijan's retaking of Nagorno-Karabakh in September and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's claim that the CSTO had failed to protect his country's interests. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that the Armenian prime minister’s decision was 'regrettable'.