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CSTO countries brace for worsening of situation in Afghanistan

Bordyuzha said that “in the Afghan army and police the situation is a no simple one”
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, November 10 (Itar-Tass) —— The Collective Security Organization member-countries are bracing for a worsening of the situation in Afghanistan following the walkout of the coalition force, CSTO Secretary-General Nikolai Bordyuzha said at a meeting of the working group on Afghanistan at the CSTO Foreign Ministers’ Council on Friday.

“The CSTO Secretariat has drafted an original version of the document previewing the march of events in Afghanistan,” Bordyuzha said. “It incorporates our forecast of how the situation may be changing in 2013-2014 and identifies the need for formulating proposals for specific measures to be taken in case the negative scenario materializes.”

According to the CSTO Secretary-General “it is important to get an answer to the question how stable the current authorities in Kabul are, and whether it will be able to control the situation in the country after 2014.”

Bordyuzha said that “in the Afghan army and police the situation is a no simple one.”

“Trust between the Afghans and the international coalition force is dwindling. This is seen in the ever more frequent cases of attacks and acts of terrorism against the military,” the CSTO Secretary-General said. He also pointed to the worsening of the situation in various parts of Afghanistan, including the north of the country.

“It is important for us to understand what the chances of the Taliban are to take power in Afghanistan again, and what is to be done, if that happens.” Bordyuzha said. “The forecast of relations between Afghanistan and its near neighbors, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Pakistan, is very important to us.”

“It is expedient to evaluate the potential of the subversive and terrorist activities in Afghan territory and the possibility of its proliferation towards the CSTO borders,” he added.

The documents worked out at a meeting of the working group for Afghanistan will be considered at a session of the CSTO Collective Security Council on December 19. On December 3 there will be consultations on the basis of the Russian Foreign Ministry over the transit of forces and cargoes to Afghanistan and out of that country to Western

Europe. Taking part in the discussion will be representatives of the foreign and defense ministries, transport and customs services, as well as other agencies concerned, transport and other companies of the countries involved in multilateral transit cooperation.