DUSHANBE, December 23, 2014, Asia-Plus – A session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council is being held in Moscow today.
At the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting, the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are reportedly discussing expansion of allied cooperation among the CSTO member nations and the current regional situation.
According to the CSTO Secretariat, a number of important issues have been tabled to the meeting’s agenda, including the crisis response system against the backdrop of global and regional security challenges.
The CSTO Secretary-General Nikolai Bordyuzha will report on the progress of implementation of the CSTO’s decision on rendering collective assistance to Tajikistan to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border that was adopted on September 23, 2013.
We will recall that the group agreed on September 23, 2013 to draw up a joint plan to protect Tajikistan”s common border with Afghanistan. “We will consider all possible scenarios of events, to take preventive measures. We will render additional collective assistance to Tajikistan to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border,” Russian President Vladimir Putin noted on September 23, 2013. Putin’s remarks came in response to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who requested help with border security from fellow CSTO member states, saying that the terrorist threat from his country’s southern neighbor was growing.
Besides, the CSTO presidents will exchange views on the current situation in the CTO area of responsibility (AoR).
The meeting will also see the handover of the Organization’s presidency from the Russian Federation to Tajikistan and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will present the main directions of the CSTO activities in 2015.
The session is expected to result in signing of a final statement and documents on improvement of foreign policy coordination among the CSTO member nations, expansion of military and military-economic cooperation, combating terrorism, information security and training of personnel.
Meanwhile, a joint meeting of foreign and defense ministers and secretaries of national Security Councils of the CSTO member nations took place in Moscow on December 22.
Itar-Tass quoted Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov as saying, “We have just ended a meeting in a narrow format, exchanged views on a number of aspects of the activity of our organization ahead of the meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council.” “Traditionally, the presidency is to be handed over to Tajikistan, in line with the Russian alphabet. We wish our Tajik friends success in fulfilling these duties.”
Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov reportedly noted that the Collective Security Treaty Organization has achieved much over the year of Russia’s presidency. “Our presidency will be geared to build up cooperation within the CSTO and to enhance the Organization’s authority,” he said.
The regional security organization was initially set up in 1992 in a meeting in Tashkent and Uzbekistan once already suspended its membership in 1999. However, Tashkent returned to the CSTO again in 2006 The regional security organization was initially formed in 1992 for a five-year period by the members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) — Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, which were joined by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Belarus the following year. A 1994 treaty reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force, and prevented signatories from joining any “other military alliances or other groups of states” directed against members states. The CST was then extended for another five-year term in April 1999, and was signed by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. In October 2002, the group was renamed as the CSTO. Uzbekistan that suspended its membership in 1999 returned to the CSTO again in 2006 after it came under international criticism for its brutal crackdown of antigovernment demonstrations in the eastern city of Andijon in May 2005. On June 28, 2012, Uzbekistan announced that it has suspended its membership of the CSTO, saying the organization ignores Uzbekistan and does not consider its views. The CSTO is currently an observer organization at the United Nations General Assembly.
