MOSCOW, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Russia wants a greater role for the post-Soviet Collective Security Treaty Organization in efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
President Vladimir Putin's envoy for terrorism and transnational organized crime, Anatolii Safonov, said that the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russian-led alliance of six former Soviet republics, had valuable contributions to make.
The members are: Armenia, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Uzbekistan is also considering joining the organization.
Safonov said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan had not led to an "effective solution of the problems of terrorism and narcotics. Russia has repeatedly proposed NATO-CSTO cooperation to fight Afghan drug trafficking, but we have not heard a substantive answer from Brussels. A new level of international cooperation is needed to fight back the Afghan narco-aggression."
In 2005, Russian assistance to Afghan armed forces is expected to reach $30 million. Safonov said that Russia was supplying "automotive hardware, communication equipment and training manuals." In addition, Russia is repairing the Afghan air force's planes and helicopters and since 2002 has been training military officers free of charge.
