KIEV, October 13 (AVN) - The decision on status of regional security forces made in Bishkek Wednesday by the heads of the Collective Security Treaty (CST) member states (Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan) is starting to influence positions of the former USSR republics, which participate in other alliances.
As it was reported by the Military News Agency on Thursday, Georgian president's advisor Shalva Pichkhadze said the GUUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova) can decide upon closer integration in other spheres including the military one as the CST states did.
Almost all the GUUAM countries are supporting the idea of forming a peacekeeping battalion under the aegis of this organisation, Ukrainian Defence Minister Alexander Kuzmuk said Friday. The appropriate decision was not made yet, but the sides have already worked out the battalion structure, training of its personnel and units organisation. The aim of the battalion is peacekeeping activities in the CIS trouble spots. It will particularly protect the oil pipelines coming through territories of several countries.
According to a source in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, the battalion creation can turn out to be the first step to create the GUUAM coalition forces.