CSTO Foreign Ministers have called for a united front against terrorism in Syria

Foreign Ministers of the States Members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) called for creating a united front against terrorism and extremism in Syria and reaffirmed support for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

This assertion came in a joint statement adopted at the end of a meeting of the CSTO Foreign Ministers Council in Yerevan on Tuesday.

The Ministers called for the speedy elimination of the terror threat and the end of the internal armed conflict in Syria by using political and diplomatic means through a wide Syrian dialogue without preconditions and external interference.

“The Parties note the efforts of the co-chairmen of the International Support Group for Syria in promoting and further strengthening of the cessation of hostilities in Syria, aimed at promoting a peaceful resolution of the Syrian crisis,” reads the statement.

The statement stressed that the CSTO Member States urged to consolidate the efforts of the international community, including those aimed at creating the necessary conditions for reliable blocking of the channels of financing of terrorism.

The Foreign Ministers’ statement noted “the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of the negotiations between representatives of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic and a wide range of Syrian opposition in Geneva under the UN auspices so that the Syrians could determine the future of their country.”

“The CSTO Member States express their deep concern over the development of the humanitarian situation in Syria and stressed the need to ensure sustained humanitarian access to affected populations in accordance with the international humanitarian law and the need to cancel the unilateral sanctions undermining the country’s economy,” the statement added .

The Collective Security Treaty Organization, formed under the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, serves as a mutual defense alliance among Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.