MOSCOW, November 8. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) initiative aimed at de-escalating the situation in the South Caucasus remains in effect and can be adopted if a consensus is reached, CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov said at a CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) meeting of security council secretaries held in Moscow.

"Speaking about the situation in the South Caucasus, I would like to emphasize that the CSTO draft which was aimed at de-escalating the situation in the region, and which, unfortunately, was not adopted at the session of the Collective Security Council in November of last year, remains in force in case of reaching a consensus," Tasmagambetov said.

According to the Secretary General, the southern borders of the CSTO area of responsibility remain at risk of terrorist activity, illegal immigration, as well as unlawful arms and drug trafficking. The infiltration of terrorist and extremist elements is linked not only to the extremely difficult situation in Afghanistan, but also to stability in the regions bordering Afghanistan, Tasmagambetov added.

He pointed out that all this makes it all the more necessary to complete work on the CSTO target interstate program to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border section. The Secretary General also recalled that the CSTO has had success in conflict resolution. "The conflict situation between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is gradually being resolved; what is more, without mediators, thanks to the efforts of the heads of state," Tasmagambetov added.