ASTANA, November 28. /TASS/. Member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are set to strengthen the bloc’s forces solely for defensive purposes, according to the Declaration of the CSTO Collective Security Council posted on the Kremlin’s website on Thursday.

"We stand for consistently developing the collective security system’s forces and capabilities with the aim of enhancing their high combat readiness for addressing assigned tasks and countering challenges and threats," the declaration reads.

As the document highlights, "military cooperation within the organization is not directed against third countries and is solely of a defensive nature."

The CSTO member states highly commended the efficiency of joint scheduled drills of the bloc’s collective security forces held annually on their territory.

"As part of developing military-technical cooperation, we intend to continue providing components of CSTO troops with modern and advanced armament, military and special hardware and special assets," the document says.