Russia’s CSTO chairmanship strengthened organization

KABUL.

A statement from the Russian Embassy in Kabul said that an ad hoc working group which included representatives of the border guard agencies of the CSTO member states was created to coordinate efforts to strengthen border security in Central Asia.

It said that Russia’s CSTO chairmanship has strengthened the organization’s role and capacity and promoted Russia’s alliance with its partners. During the meetings of the CSTO statutory bodies in Moscow on 22-23 December, Russia transferred the CSTO chairmanship to the Republic of Tajikistan.

It said that Russia’s chairmanship in the CSTO was based on the priorities and action plans designed to implement the decisions of the September 2013 session of the CSTO in Sochi approved by the Chairman of the organization and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The Working Group on Afghanistan under the CSTO Foreign Ministers Council holds regular meetings to compare notes on the development of the situation. It was attended by representatives from several international organizations, the statement added.

Work was continued to improve joint operational and combat training of the collective security forces and means. It was decided to establish a CSTO Collective Air Force. Three major joint exercises, Frontier-2014, Enduring Brotherhood- 2014 and Interaction-2014 were held in 2014. A significant impetus for closer cooperation in security matters was given by an unofficial summit of heads of state in Moscow on 8 May 2014.

Comprehensive measures to develop CSTO peacekeeping activities were undertaken. Recommendations regarding the composition, structure, equipment, and training of CSTO peacekeeping forces with a view to use them in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN were studied in conjunction with the UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations.

As a multidisciplinary international organization, the CSTO has been strengthening mechanisms to overcome current challenges and threats to security, primarily in areas such as drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and IT crime.

The 2015-2020 CSTO anti-drug strategy was adopted. An anti-drug Kanal and anti-illegal immigration Nelegal operations were conducted on a regular basis. The PROXY operation to combat IT crime has become permanent. The CSTO’s capacity to deal with emergencies is becoming stronger. Combating terrorism and organised crime remains an important area of work, it said.

The CSTO parliamentary activities, primarily in synchronising national legal systems of the member states, were further expanded. On 6 November 2014, President Putin received the heads of the parliaments of the CSTO member states and Serbia and Afghanistan which are observer countries at the CSTO PA.

Member state foreign policy coordination is becoming an important area of CSTO activity. Working meetings of the ministers of foreign affairs on the sidelines of major international forums have become regular events. The practice of making joint statements on issues pertaining to CSTO member states has been expanded. During Russia’s chairmanship, the CSTO adopted 17 joint statements, of which six were from CSTO foreign ministers.

The CSTO has been expanding its external relations with other international organizations, primarily the CIS and the SCO. With the support of the Russian chairmanship, the CSTO General Secretary met with the leaders of Latin American countries and Asia-Pacific countries.

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