CSTO RRF will not be applied against CIS member statesFebruary 24, 2009 - 21:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - By no means the CSTO Rapid Response Force will be used as police force to settle internal conflicts or political issues, to secure order in the CSTO countries, CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha told a press conference in Moscow.The decision to use collective forces must be made by all presidents of the CSTO member states and by consensus, he said. The Collective Rapid Response Force will be used in emergency cases when a state needs help from its allies, Nikolai Bordyuzha said. He expressed hope that the collective forces "will be training and developing, but that there will be no situations when they will have to be applied." The establishment of the collective force is aimed at countering military aggression, international terrorism, extremism, crime, drug trafficking and dealing with emergency situations, news reports said. The decision on Collective Rapid Reaction forces formation was passed during CSTO Summit in Moscow on Feb. 4. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Iran’s Red Crescent sends aid to Armenia’s flood-hit regions The Iranian Red Crescent Society has sent humanitarian aid to the victims of deadly floods that hit northern Armenia on May 25-26. Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. |