Since it was formed in 1992, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has opened its first summit in Armenia. The CSTO summit will last in Yerevan until August 22. The Presidents of the CSTO member-states arrived in Yerevan.

RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated the summit will be held in an atmosphere of confidence and partnership. “The lessons all of us are drawing from the events in Kyrgyzstan now must cause us to make additional efforts to enhance the CSTO’s efficiency,” he said.

Ministe Lavrov also reported that the CSTO member-states decided to create peace-making forces. “The forces are being formed now and we hope they can be involved in various peacemaking operations under decisions by the Collective Security Council, CSTO Heads of State. They may also be peacemaking operations under an OSCE or U.N. mandate. The same is provided for by the documents forming the peacemaking forces,” Lavrov said.