DUSHANBE, February 26, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A meeting of the expert group to consider a draft resolution of the CIS council of foreign ministers on expansion of cooperation between the CIS Executive Committee and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretariat is opening in Minsk, Belarus today.

According to press release issued by the CIS Executive Committee, the draft resolution provides for signing of a protocol of cooperation between the CIS Executive Committee and the CSTO Secretariat.

The protocol is aimed to promote further expansion of interaction between both bodies in the main directions being of mutual interests for the purpose of assisting the CIS and the CSTO member nations with strengthening of their national security as well as regional and international security and coordinating efforts to address new threats and challenges.