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CSTO foreign, defense ministers discuss biosecurity issues — Moscow

The meeting also discussed pressing international and regional issues, the military-political situation in and outside of the zone of the CSTO responsibility, including developments in Afghanistan and the escalation on the organization’s western borders

MOSCOW, November 23. /TASS/. Participants in a joint meeting of the councils of foreign and defense ministers and the Committee of Security Council Secretaries of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries discussed cooperation in biosecurity on Wednesday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

At the meeting, Russia’s diplomatic agency was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin. "Cooperation in a number of priority spheres, including biological security, as well as countering terrorist threats and drug trafficking were discussed," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.

The meeting also discussed pressing international and regional issues, the military-political situation in and outside of the zone of the CSTO responsibility, including developments in Afghanistan and the escalation on the organization’s western borders. Efforts to enhance foreign policy coordination, improve crisis management and boost cooperation with other international and regional organizations, primarily the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), were also discussed, the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

Following the meeting, CSTO foreign ministers adopted a statement on common approaches to the provision of security in the Eurasian space. Top diplomats of CSTO member countries also signed off on a slew of documents for approval at today’s CSTO Collective Security Council meeting and the summit’s final declaration, the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.

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