MINSK, June 8. /TASS/. The secretaries of the Security Councils of the countries that are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization have held a meeting in Minsk to discuss regional security challenges and threats, the Russian Security Council said.

"The avenues for cooperation have been determined in the military and migration realms, as well as in the information space. Emphasis has been placed on the importance of increasing the number of CSTO exercises of various types and effectively carrying out such operations as Illegal Foreigner, Channel, and Proxy," the council said.

Russia was represented at the meeting by Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev. Representatives of the CSTO member countries also focused on joint efforts to combat international terrorism and extremism and work to strengthen the organization's counterterrorism capabilities. Goals have been set to shut down recruitment channels and prevent citizens from participating in terrorist activities outside their countries, the council said.

"Given the increased terrorist threats in the immediate vicinity of the CSTO responsibility zones, decisions have been made regarding the implementation of a complex of operational and preventive measures. In particular, approval has been given to the procedure for the CSTO's permanent regional anti-terrorism Operation Mercenary," the council said.