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Russia remains Central Asian countries’ leading defense partner — Lavrov

"We are pleased to state the full identity or closeness of our approaches to the main problems or regional and global security," Lavrov said

MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. Russia remains the leading partner of Central Asian countries in the sphere of defense and defense technologies and the fact has especial significance against the background of persistent instability in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an article published on Wednesday in Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily.

The article titled ‘Russia and Central Asia: a Partnership Tested by Time’ dwells on the 25th anniversary since Russia and the Central Asian countries established diplomatic relations.

"We are pleased to state the full identity or closeness of our approaches to the main problems or regional and global security," Lavrov wrote. "Russia is the leading partner of Central Asian nations in defense and related technologies and gives support to them in counteracting numerous challenges and threats to security, including terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crime."

Cooperation in these fields is developing on the bilateral basis, as well as in the format of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CIS as such.

"Given the never-ending instability in Afghanistan and the inflow of Islamic State militants from Syria and Iraq, the buildup and improvement of this cooperation takes on particular importance," Lavrov indicated.

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