MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted for ratification by the lower house of parliament on Friday a draft agreement on activity of joint groups of experts for a swift response to security threats at external borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a loose alliance of former Soviet countries.

"The agreement defines the order of creation, use and suspension of activity of joint groups of specialists (experts) of frontier bodies," an explanatory note says. Its implementation will bolster partnership of CIS member-states in border security and increase efficiency of decisions to ensure security of external borders.

The document was signed the Belarusian capital Minsk on October 10, 2014. It was drafted to implement an agreement on cooperation of border troops of CIS member-states during crises at external borders as of May 17, 1996 and a protocol on assistance in crisis situations as of October 5, 2007.