MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/. Russia will continue to work to improve relations with its near neighbors, the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), strategic partnerships and alliances with which contribute to maintaining stability and security in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the State Duma.

"Strategic partnerships and alliances with our near neighbors, the CIS and CSTO states - contribute to strengthening national security and maintaining pan-regional stability," he emphasized. "We will work to improve these relations."

He noted that Russia's chairmanship of the CSTO this year offers a good opportunity for this. "Our priorities, which were announced by President Vladimir Putin include deeper foreign policy coordination among the CSTO member states, joint initiatives, and the organization's wider contacts with international partners," he emphasized.