Russia temporary assumes duties of CSTO Collective Security Council?s chairman

?In view of the Agreement between the CSTO members and absence of the Belarusian partners, we decided to devolve the chairmanship on the Russian Federation ? the country, holding the summit?, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has said at the extended session of the CSTO Collective Security Council. As earlier reported, President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisyan was expected to devolve power of the Collective Security Council's chairman to Head of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for the standing interim term. The Belarusian President refused to arrive in Moscow in protest to Russia?s ban on Belarusian diary products.