General Andrey Kartapolov doesn’t rule out Syria joining the CSTO

Chief of the Main Directorate for Political-Military Affairs of the Russian Armed Forces, General Andrey Kartapolov, has announced that Syria can join the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) if this step benefits both Syria and the organization’s member states.

In a statement on Saturday Gen. Kartapolov said “the Charter of the CSTO is not a static doctrine. It must correspond to emerging developments directly.”

He clarified that he doesn’t rule out the possibility of Syria joining the organization if the mutual benefit is achieved.

The CSTO was established on October 7^th, 2002 based on the Collective Security Treaty signed on May 17^th, 1992. It includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan  and Tajikistan as members.

Hamda Mustafa