CSTO informal summit starts in Astana

ASTANA (TREND) - The fifth informal summit of the heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member-states has launched its activity in Astana.
"I am delighted to welcome you at an informal meeting in Astana," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at the opening of an informal meeting in Astana. "These informal events in a relaxed atmosphere allow to discuss urgent issues of our cooperation."
The heads of the CSTO member-states will discuss urgent problems with the international situation, including the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the CSTO responsibility zone. Increasing the efficiency of the organization's activity as a whole is also planned to be considered.
"Today we gathered to share our views on several issues: global and regional risks to security and stability in the CSTO member-states related to the recent events in the world and the region," President Nazarbayev said. "The issues related to the efficiency of our organization's activity, solving the problems arising in relations between member-states, the upcoming withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the related issues, natural and manmade catastrophes in the CSTO responsibility zone will be also discussed."
Many questions occur in information security sphere.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was the only one who has arrived at an informal meeting in a tie. This attracted President Nazarbayev's attention. Medvedev laughed and took off his tie after handshakes as a sign of the friendly atmosphere at the meeting.
CSTO is a military-political alliance, uniting seven CIS countries Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Armenia.
All heads of member-states, except for Uzbek President Islam Karimov attend the summit.