Uzbekistan Sees No Need To Return To CSTO - Foreign Ministry

Uzbekistan believes there is no need for the country to join the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) at the moment, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Friday, adding that Tashkent considers important to be able to repel precise terrorist threats together with Russia and Central Asia states

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2021) Uzbekistan believes there is no need for the country to join the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) at the moment, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Friday, adding that Tashkent considers important to be able to repel precise terrorist threats together with Russia and Central Asia states.

"Today, for example, we do not see the need for Uzbekistan to return to the CSTO, assuming that there will be some kind of frontal offensive of regiments, armies, divisions towards Central Asia, towards Uzbekistan," Kalimov told a press conference.

The minister added that terrorist threats emanating from the Afghan territory cannot be excluded.

"Therefore, today we see the task as even more urgent, not so much preparing for some big war, but the CSTO is a very serious organization with huge potential, ... to timely repel the precise challenges of the threat of terrorism," Kalimov said.