June 4, 2016 - 12:13 AMT
CSTO to create police peacekeeping forces, cooperate with UN

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is working on creating joint police peacekeeping forces, CSTO deputy secretary general Valery Semerikov said, according to RIA.

CSTO cooperation with the United Nations is carried out in several directions, including, in particular, peacekeeping operations and the fight against drug trafficking.

The main problem, he said, is for the CSTO to bring to the attention of relevant UN agencies the work it does to combat drug trafficking.

“It is important and useful to exchange experiences, express our position and carry out joint activities,” Semerikov said.

Referring to the issue of peacekeeping operations, Semerikov noted that a peacekeeping force of more than 3.500 people has been created within the CSTO, including a police force of over 800 people.

“Right now we are working with all our member countries on establishing Integrated Police peacekeeping forces, which is expected to take part in UN missions outside the CSTO responsibility zone,” the deputy secretary general said.