Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the presence of foreign militaries in the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) requires the organization’s approval, and building new bases would not meet security interests in Central Asia.
"The Americans made a lot of things clear over the 20 years of their presence in Afghanistan, starting with the declaration of the victory of democracy and ending with such a rather hasty withdrawal, abandoning a huge amount of equipment and other equipment," Lavrov stated during a press conference, Sputnik reported.
"We should not ask them [the US] what plans the Central Asian countries have, but the countries of this region. As for the other Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan – [they] are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. All questions about the presence of foreign military personnel on the territory of any of the CSTO members are subject, according to the charter, to the approval within this framework," Lavrov continued.
"Most likely, there is a [US] desire to simply ensure its military presence in this region, thereby influencing the situation here. I think everyone understands this and everyone will proceed from the obligations that exist within the framework of various structures," he noted.
Earlier this week, Russia's FM said that the threat of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan is increasing in light of the withdrawal of the US troops from the country, adding that pullout is de facto an admission that America's mission in this country has failed.
HJ/5257152/PR