The message reads, in part:
“Strengthening security across our countries, developing their collective defence potential in close coordination with our partners are the key priorities of Russia’s CSTO chairmanship in 2020. Parliamentary exchanges between the member countries play an important role in the implementation of these tasks.
With the growing challenges we all are facing, such as international terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking and illegal migration, we attach great importance to the Parliamentary Assembly’s efforts to ensure the timely ratification of documents adopted in the CSTO, and to harmonise the national security legislations.
Another important area of inter-parliamentary cooperation is the development of common approaches to addressing threats associated with interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. The coordination of coronavirus response efforts is also of particular relevance today.
I am certain that your discussions will be substantive and productive, and the decisions taken at the end of the meeting will serve to strengthen allied ties between our countries.”