DUSHANBE, May 27, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi attended a session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) that took place in Bishkek on May 27 as part of preparations for an informal summit of CSTO member nations.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, participants in the meeting exchanged views on a broad range of problems, including aspects of the current operations of CSTO and the current international situation.  Priority attention was paid to the improvement of foreign policy coordination in the framework of the organization.

The CSTO foreign ministers reportedly signed a Council statement on topical international issues and approved an updated list of subjects of joint statements for 2013.

The same day saw a joint session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of Security Council Secretaries of CSTO.

The session participants reportedly exchanged opinions on the current state and structure of the collective security system in the light of the existing challenges and threats.

The ministers also discussed questions related to strengthening the peacekeeping potential and advancing the organization''s collective security system.

Several documents were approved defining concrete aspects of organizing and conducting operations of CSTO peacekeeping forces.

They also considered and approved the plan of consultations of representatives of CSTO member-states on foreign policy, security and defense for the second half of 2013 - the first half of 2014.