Putin calls on post-Soviet states to build common air defense :: Charter'97 :: News

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the members of a post-Soviet security alliance Wednesday to build a common air defense system to maintain their defensive capabilities. Speaking to defense and foreign ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), President Putin said: "In dealing with issues of such a systemic character, cooperation is particularly important, and not just important from the technological standpoint, although this is an essential [factor], as it makes defense companies face up to the need to solve modern issues, thereby keeping their technological level up to date."

More importantly, however, a common air defense system will make it possible for the alliance, which unites Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, to preserve their defensive capabilities, Putin said.

The Russian leader gave assurances that his country was "willing to contribute to solving these problems, as well as similar problems, whose direct connection with the former may not be immediately apparent," such as personnel training and price concessions on Russian arms exports.