DUSHANBE, June 30, 2016, Asia-Plus -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has no plans to take part in the antiterrorism operation in Syria, CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov told reporters on Wednesday after a coordinating meeting with representatives of the International Red Cross Committee, according to TASS.

“Our stance remained unchanged,” he said replying to a question about possible participation of the CSTO in the operations in Syria.  “The issue is not on our agenda,” Semerikov said, adding, “There is no plan to set up a coalition for Syria in the CSTO format.  Russia certainly copes with the tasks there."

The CSTO deputy chief gave no details regarding Syria’s bid to join the Organization.  “I have no such information,” he said, adding, “CSTO Council will considers such a document if the organization receives a bid from Syria.”

“The CSTO charter underlines that the organization is open for everyone who agrees with the Charter, the Treaty and shares our views,” he reaffirmed.

The regional security organization was initially set up in 1992 in a meeting in Tashkent and Uzbekistan once already suspended its membership in 1999.  However, Tashkent returned to the CSTO again in 2006 The regional security organization was initially formed in 1992 for a five-year period by the members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) -- Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, which were joined by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Belarus the following year.  A 1994 treaty reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force, and prevented signatories from joining any “other military alliances or other groups of states” directed against members states.  The CST was then extended for another five-year term in April 1999, and was signed by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.  In October 2002, the group was renamed as the CSTO.  Uzbekistan that suspended its membership in 1999 returned to the CSTO again in 2006 after it came under international criticism for its brutal crackdown of antigovernment demonstrations in the eastern city of Andijon in May 2005.  On June 28, 2012, Uzbekistan announced that it has suspended its membership of the CSTO, saying the organization ignores Uzbekistan and does not consider its views.  The CSTO is currently an observer organization at the United Nations General Assembly.