Uzbekistan is pulling out from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) because of disagreement over Afghanistan programs, a source from Uzbekistani Foreign Ministry told Russian Komersant.

“We do not welcome the military programs of the CSTO addressed to Afghanistan. Uzbekistan prefers bilateral cooperation with that country. Besides, the official Tashkent does not approve the programs aimed at strengthening military cooperation among the CSTO member-states,” the source said, adding that the country has already sent a note to the establishment in connection with it.
Uzbekistan has once left the establishment in 1999 but rejoined it in August 2006.

The information on the intention of the country to leave the establishment appeared still in October when Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko offered the CSTO member states to orient in the issue of Uzbekistan’s further membership as Tashkent has not ratified any essential document within the framework of the organization.

After Uzbekistan’s pullout, the organization will have 6 member states – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.