BISHKEK. Feb 9 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan expects Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to provide their support in deterring "external global threats," Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov said at a roundtable conference on Friday.
"A security guarantor for Kyrgyzstan is our armed forces, but this is not enough. A guarantor for deterring external global threats to Kyrgyzstan is the CSTO, in which Russia plays the principal role," Imankulov said.
Other political organizations promoting stability in Kyrgyzstan and in the region include the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), he said.
"We should acknowledge openly that Russia is our strategic partner and ally. Kyrgyzstan intends to cooperate actively with all of its partners within these organizations. Without security being ensured, all efforts will be in vain. The only thing that worries us now is the situation on the border with Tajikistan, but a few months are left before this issue should be settled," Imankulov said.
He also focused on the problem of Afghanistan, describing it as a matter of concern for all Central Asian countries.
"The escalation of the situation in Afghanistan would benefit some global players in creating additional tension. International terrorist organizations could enter Central Asia and destabilize the situation under certain conditions, including owing to support from the outside, and therefore, it's important to combine efforts to ensure security in the region," he said.