PARK PATRIOT /Moscow region/, April 14. /TASS/. Russia is looking forward to boosting defense cooperation within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Chief of the Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov said on Wednesday, addressing a meeting of the CSTO Military Committee as its chairman.

Gerasimov pointed out that the coronavirus pandemic had prevented the Military Committee from meeting in person in 2020, two gatherings had been held via video conference.

The head of the CSTO Military Committee briefed the meeting’s participants on the changes in the committee’s composition. In particular, Lieutenant General Artak Davtyan was appointed as Armenia’s chief of the general staff, Major General Viktor Gulevich was appointed as Belarus’ chief of the general staff and first deputy defense minister, and Major General Erlis Terdikbayev was appointed as chief of the general staff of Kyrgyzstan’s Armed Forces.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, also involved Chief of the Kazakh General Staff Lieutenant General Murat Bektanov, Chief of the Tajik General Staff Lieutenant General Emomali Abdur Rahim Sobirzoda, head of the CSTO Joint Staff Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov and CSTO Deputy Secretary General Tahir Khairulloyev.