Moscow-led security bloc open to dialogue with NATO — Lavrov

KAZAN, June 10. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is open to dialogue with NATO, top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following a meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers.

"The CSTO has always been open to dialogue with NATO. Back when there were no crises in relations between Russia and the West and the Russia-NATO Council was functioning, implementing programs such as supplying helicopters to Afghanistan for the fight against terrorism, <...> there was an entire Russia-NATO cooperation program; but even then, NATO was unwilling to enter into discussions with the CSTO on security issues," he pointed out.

According to Lavrov, a CSTO plenary session was the only event that brought the two organizations together. Besides, the UN secretary general also used to hold meetings with regional security organizations once every two years.

"However, despite numerous official proposals approved by the leaders of CSTO countries and sent to the NATO headquarters, [there was no] equal dialogue. There was, you know, arrogant silence. Unfortunately, this reflects the West’s continued approach to developments across the world," the Russian foreign minister concluded.