BEIJING, May 16. /TASS/. Moscow and Beijing recognize the important role that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) play in ensuring regional stability and combating international terrorism, President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China said in a joint statement.

"The parties recognize the important role of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Commonwealth of Independent States in ensuring regional stability, including the fight against international terrorism and illicit drug production and trafficking, as well as against other cross-border challenges and threats," the statement reads.

Moscow and Beijing also pointed to "the potential for boosting multifaceted cooperation between the CSTO and China in order to maintain peace and security in Eurasia and jointly counter external challenges."

The CSTO was established in 2002 based on the May 15, 1992, Collective Security Treaty. The organization currently brings together Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out on May 15 that CSTO allies were ramping up efforts to combat international terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, cross-border organized crime and illegal migration. The parties regularly practice ways to carry out anti-terrorism operations as part of joint drills.

The CIS, founded in 1991, consists of 11 countries, namely Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted earlier that in fact, Ukraine and Moldova now were CIS members only on paper as they weren’t involved in the organization’s activities.