Russia’s Chief of General Staff: Situation on CIS external borders is far from being stable

Baku. 29 September. REPORT.AZ/ The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) should broaden cooperation in defense and security, Report informs citing the RIA Novosti, Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.

"Taking into consideration that the situation on the external borders of the Commonwealth is far from being stable, we have a common task not to allow the spread of terrorism to the CIS space," Gerasimov told a meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Staff of CIS member states.

"In this uneasy situation it is necessary to broaden cooperation in the sphere of defense and security," the general said, adding that the military cooperation in the CIS format "allows successful cooperation in a broad range of areas."

The International Army Games, the International military-technical forum "ARMY-2016" and other joint events held earlier this year show great possibilities and prospects of the military cooperation of the CIS countries, he said.
The legal basis for this is a concept of military cooperation of the CIS member-states up to 2020 approved by the CIS Council of Heads of State, he reminded. "The concept envisages strengthening our armed forces, maintaining national security and developing good neighborly relations."

Notably, the Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov went to St. Petersburg at the invitation of the Russia’s Chief of General Staff to participate in the meeting.