CSTO security group backs Russia, condemns Georgia

Moscow, Sep 4 (UNI) Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) today condemned Georgia's attack on the breakaway region of South Ossetia, supporting Russia's role in maintaining peace in the region.

''We have come out with support for Russia's active role in contributing to peace and coopearion in the region,'' Armenia's Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan said, referring to the joint statement, adopted at their meeting here.

The CSTO comprises Russia, Belarus, Armenia and four Central Asian countries namely Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting was called for a strict implementation of the Medvedev-Sarkozy peace plan in order to ''thwart new attempts to use force in settling the conflict and securing peace and stability in the region.'' The joint statment pointed out to the danger of increasing military deployment in the Caucasus and attempting to use force in settling the conflict.

UNI XC RJ KN1854