Russian Security Council Secretary urges extra CSTO, SCO measures at border with Afghanistan

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) need to work out extra border security measures to counter threats from Afghanistan to neighboring countries, Tass news agency quoted Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said on Friday.

The unstable situation in Afghanistan is related to the activity of international terrorists supported by the West, Patrushev said at a meeting of Security Council secretaries on the Afghan problem in Bishkek.

“Considering all the mentioned threats from the Afghan direction, it is necessary to take measures in advance to counter the export of instability to our countries. It is obvious that this problem can be resolved comprehensively by collective efforts, primarily, within the CSTO and the SCO,” Patrushev stressed.

The Russian top security official highlighted specific steps that “require special attention.” In the first place, this relates “to elaborating extra measures in the sphere of border security, exchanging information on the activity of terrorist organizations and their supporters and cooperating for the purpose of exposing and shutting down sources and channels of terrorism financing and also drug trafficking,” Patrushev pointed out.

“I am certain that the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united and independent state meets the interests of regional security. By virtue of its geographical position, that country is at the intersection of key trade routes linking European and Asian states. In this context, it is important to pay attention to developing the transit potential of Afghanistan,” the Russian top security official said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has repeatedly stated that Afghan soil will not be used against the security of neighboring countries or beyond and that no terrorist group exists in the country.

Meanwhile, the sixth annual meeting of Security Council secretaries on Afghanistan kicked off Friday in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.