YEREVAN. – Afghanistan may be a source of threat for the CSTO and the CIS as a whole, a representative from Kyrgyzstan Tokon Mamytov said at a press conference in Yerevan on Tuesday.

To note, Yerevan hosts session of Coordination council of heads of the standing committees on defense and security of the CSTO member states’ parliaments.

Speaking about threats, he mentioned drug trafficking, religious extremism, cross-border crimes and separate unsettled issues between the states of the Central Asia. Mamytov said Kyrgyzstan is especially concerned over developments following withdrawal of international peacekeeping troops from Afghanistan.

The representative of Tajikistan Amirkul Azimov also mentioned drug trafficking and situation in Afghanistan among the potential threats, claiming escalation of the situation after withdrawal of peacekeeping forces may impact neighboring countries as well.

Photo by Sona Barseghyan