“Uzbekistan signed this document and decided to send its delegates to take part in certain sessions. Thus, this country will take part in separate operations,” the Russian official said.

At the same time, Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov explained that this decision had been conditioned by technical and not political aspects.

CSTO spokesman Vitaly Strugovets said Uzbekistan’s participation in CSTO operations would be co-ordinated separately.

“Military units of Uzbekistan’s Drug Control Agency, services for counteracting illegal migration and other special services will take part in the operations. At this stage it’s military units that take part in such operations,” he said. “They expressed their own view in the document,” the spokesman added. “I want to stress that in emergency situations Uzbekistan is ready to take part in joint operations but under a separate decision.”

Denisov said, “Uzbekistan’s position is purely technical.” “Collective reaction force envisions interaction between different forces and means, including purely military ones, as well as emergency units, counter-terrorist forces etc. Uzbekistan’s statement is related to special components of this interaction in compliance with its national legislation.”

According to the diplomat, “Uzbekistan will be able to take part in all. But the thing is that everything should respond to its legislation.”

“This does not raise any questions: in case of any situation counteraction will be organised on a collective basis. It’s usual and this is not considered a political situation,” Denisov said.

He said Tajikistan “has a cautious approach towards this issue.” “The formation of these forces envisages adopting a corresponding legal base in order to use these forces. Our colleagues have a pure cautious approach, but the point of view prevails under which now we’re taking a political decision in order to create these forces and work out a legal base within three months,” Denisov pointed out.