MOSCOW, June 14 (RIA Novosti) - The leaders...
Belarus pulled out of the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in protest against Russia"s ban on imports of its dairy products.
"The document that has been signed includes an agreement on collective forces and a decision by the Collective Security Council on the rapid-reaction force structure," Medvedev said.
Russia already has joint military contingents with Belarus and Armenia through the CSTO.
The new force will comprise large military units from five countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Analysts say the creation of a powerful military contingent in Central Asia reflects Moscow"s drive to make the CSTO a pro-Russian military bloc, rivaling NATO forces in Europe.
Russia"s security strategy until 2020, recently approved by President Dmitry Medvedev, envisions the CSTO as "a key mechanism to counter regional
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