MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. The collective West is trying to undermine regional stability, seeking to maintain its leading role in the world, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said at a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
"The collective West is trying to undermine regional stability, desperate to retain its hegemonic role. That is why special attention at the recent BRICS Summit in Kazan was largely dedicated to the problems of peaceful settlement of conflicts and the formation of a fair multipolar world order," Belousov said.
The meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member states has a "rich agenda concerning multilateral military cooperation among the Commonwealth countries," the defense minister said. In particular, the participants will pay special attention to preparations for the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. "We all recognize the importance of preserving our common history and preventing its misinterpretation. During the meeting, we will exchange ideas and outline further steps in defense and security," he said. Belousov wished productive work to all the participants. Among them are: Defense Ministers of Belarus Viktor Khrenin, Kazakhstan’s defense chief Ruslan Zhaksylykov, and their Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek counterparts, Baktybek Bekbolotov, Sherali Mirzo, and Bakhodir Kurbanov, as well as Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Karim Tofig oglu Valiyev. Secretary of the CIS Defense Ministers Council Yury Dashkin and CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev are also taking part in the meeting.