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Military drills

Moscow-led defense bloc invites Saudi, Iranian, Chinese, Mongolian observers to drills

According to the CSTO chief of staff, the move was considered at consultations involving officials from the relevant ministries and agencies of the organization's member states

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states have invited observers from Saudi Arabia, Iran, China and Mongolia to monitor the Combat Brotherhood-2023 drills in Belarus, CSTO Joint Staff Chief Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov said at a briefing.

"Representatives of non-CSTO countries - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the People's Republic of China, and Mongolia - have been invited to attend the drills set to take pace in Belarus as observers," he noted.

According to the CSTO chief of staff, the move was considered at consultations involving officials from the relevant ministries and agencies of CSTO member states as part of staff negotiations, and was agreed on by the respective foreign ministries. "Work is currently underway to approve invitations for observers to the Indestructible Brotherhood-2023 drills in Tajikistan," Sidorov added.

Combat Brotherhood, a joint operational and strategic exercise, will be held in Belarus on September 1-6.

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