Stanislav Zas: The situation along the entire perimeter of the CSTO  borders remains tense

ArmInfo.The situation along the entire perimeter of the CSTO borders remains tense. CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas following the organization's summit in Moscow  stated this to journalists.

"The heads of state noted that the number of security challenges and  threats not only in the area of responsibility of the organization,  but also in the whole world is steadily growing. They discussed the  situation in all areas of responsibility of our organization," said  Stanislav Zas, BelTA writes.

He noted that the situation in Eastern Europe is not developing  easily, tension remains on the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.  "Despite the positive results in the negotiation process between  Armenia and Azerbaijan, tensions remain in the Caucasus region,  including on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Under these conditions,  the Russian peacekeeping contingent plays an important stabilizing  role, ensuring the fulfillment of the terms of the agreements of  November 9, 2020,"  said the CSTO Secretary General, adding that  Afghanistan remains a destabilizing factor in the Central Asian  region.

"Thus, the situation along the entire perimeter of our borders  remains quite tense," Stanislav Zas stated.

According to the CSTO Secretary General, a sharp increase in the  aggressiveness of world powers and military-political blocs towards  Russia and its allies has become a serious challenge for the member  countries of the organization.

Speaking about the last summit, Stanislav Zas said that the meeting  of the heads of state was constructive, there was a very frank  exchange of views on a wide range of issues. The main topics were the  state of international and regional security, as well as the role and  place of the CSTO in the modern world, and the prospects for the  development of the organization. "In my opinion, the meeting was very  constructive. In any case, a very frank, confidential conversation  took place on a whole wide range of issues," he said, adding that  during the summit the prospects for the development of the format  were discussed.

"The fact that the CSTO will grow with new partners, observers and  members of our Organization is a prospect," Zas said without going  into details.

Meanwhile, as Interfax reports, answering a question about the  situation in connection with the prospect of Finland and Sweden  joining NATO, he said: "We must understand that we are now on the  verge of further militarization and increased tension of the Eastern  European region. This is a fact, many plans have been announced and  (there is) a further increase in defense spending and an increase in  the groupings of troops, the number of armed forces, the transfer of  additional NATO units to countries adjacent to our states. "At the  same time, the CSTO Secretary General noted that if Finland and  Sweden join NATO, all of the abovementioned will also extend to  Northern Europe. "It's hard to say how this will all end, but one  thing is clear: that these steps, including the expansion of the NATO  bloc, will lead to increased tension in Europe.  This is obvious,"  Zas summed up.