The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has opened its summit in Yerevan with the participation of 5 leaders of the member states - Armenia, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov is not participating in the meeting.

Opening the summit, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan welcomed Kyrgyz leader Roza Otunbayeva at her first CSTO summit, NEWS.am correspondent reported. He stressed importance of such meetings when “crucial decisions are made.” For instance, during the Moscow summit (February 4, 2009) the CSTO leaders approved creation of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force (KSOR).

Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that summit’s work will be fruitful and key decisions will be made.

In his turn, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his gratitude to the Armenian leadership for hospitality and attached significance to meetings held in such format. According to him, issues on formation of crisis response system and measures aimed at stabilization of situation in Kyrgyzstan are on the agenda. The date of future Moscow summit will be determined as well, Medvedev noted, adding that no formal documents will be approved in Yerevan.

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 stated.