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Moscow hosts CSTO summit

The participants are expected to sign a number of documents

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 20 (Itar-Tass) — The Kremlin is hosting the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization on Tuesday.

Prior to the top-level meeting, the CSTO leaders posed for a traditional group photo, and then began narrow-format talks. The heads of the delegations were to join them in an hour.

The results of the summit will be summed up at a joint news conference.

The CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Belarus is passing the rotating presidency to Kazakhstan which will present its vision of the Organization's priorities in 2012.

President Dmitry Medvedev thanked Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for "effective and pro-active work as CSTO chairperson," and wished success to the succeeding chairman - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

On Tuesday, the CSTO leaders gathered at a round table to consider "extensive issues," 35 in all, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the beginning of the meeting.

"I suggest we give priority to the implementation of the decisions made at the previous sessions, such as the informal CSTO summit in Kazakhstan; the effectiveness of the Organization and its operation depend on them," Medvedev underlined.

The participants are expected to sign a number of documents.

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