IRAN NOT TO JOIN CSTO DESPITE ACTIVE COOPERATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
06.08.2009 18:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran cooperates with CSTO within the frameworks
of many programs, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha announced
during Yerevan-Moscow video bridge. Despite Iran’s active participation
in anti-drug trafficking operations, the country does not make active
steps towards joining the organization, the speaker finds.

Bordyuzha also commented upon Belarus and Ukraine’s not signing the
agreement on the activity of Collective Rapid Reaction Forces.

"Belarus always approved of the project, and I believe there were just
some technical reasons preventing it to sign the CRRF agreement. As
regards Uzbekistan, its representatives have announced they are not yet
ready for signing the document, however, they are not going to hamper
project implementation process either," CSTO Secretary General noted.

He also stressed that Belarus did not assume CSTO chairmanship because
of Belarusian delegation’s absence in organization’s summit.

During the summit in June, Belarus was to have accepted CSTO
chairmanship from Armenia. However, President Alexander Lukashenko did
not attend the meeting, and Russia agreed to continue with technical
chairmanship