YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov has warned of a “risk of destabilization” stemming from the tense situation in Nagorno Karabakh.

Speaking at a joint meeting of the CSTO Secretariat and Joint Staff, Tasmagambetov said that the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and Afghanistan remains tense and creates “risk of destabilization” in the CSTO countries.

 “The tension in the Caucasus region persists as a result of the many years of disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Interfax news agency quoted the CSTO Secretary General as saying.

He warned of a serious risk of destabilization because of the risks relating to the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“The situation in the Central Asian region is also tense, the threat of infiltration of extremist ideology and terrorist groups into the territory of CSTO allies is growing. The difficult threats coming from the territory of Afghanistan are especially concerning,” he said, adding that the organization is working to perfect its mechanisms of withstanding challenges and threats.