MOSCOW, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) members agreed Tuesday to tighten rules on establishment of new foreign military bases on the territory of CSTO member states.
After the CSTO summit held here, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in the future the establishment of any military facilities by outside countries should be agreed by all CSTO members.
"In order to accommodate extra-regional military structures on the territory of the CSTO, it will be necessary to obtain official approval of all members," Nazarbayev was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said all sides have reached agreement on this decision, which is "important for consolidation within the CSTO".
The seven-member CSTO, a regional security organization, groups Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Currently the only foreign military base in CSTO is the U.S. air base in Manas, Kyrgyzstan.
The Manas air base was set up in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, to support U.S. military operation in Afghanistan. The base agreement will expire in 2014.
