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Mr Putin expressed concern over the situation in the Middle East and Iraq. The Iraqi conflict is no longer a local conflict and now is a source of instability for other regions, including the CIS countries, Mr Putin said. In this situation, regional security organisations, including the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, should try to minimise the consequences of war, keep stability in the region and provide safety for its residents, he stressed.

Noting that the CIS has developed significantly as an authoritative regional organisation over the last year, Mr Putin stressed the need to transform the Collective Security Treaty Organisation into a big regional organisation able to face new security threats. Now we have to create effective mechanisms, define directions of practical work; we should interact with the CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre and use the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces in counter-terrorist operations and establish an anti-drug centre in Central Asia, Mr Putin said.

The Russian President proposed conducting a full analysis of the anti-terrorism legislation of the CSTO member states, and issues of near-border cooperation. Combating cross-border crime and terrorism is an issue of high importance, Mr Putin said.