Aleksandr Pankin on the Important Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy An interview on the Diplomats' Day

February 10 is Diplomats’ Day in Russia. Aleksandr Pankin, Russian deputy Foreign Minister, spoke about the role of inter-parliamentary diplomacy in an interview with the CSTO PA.

– In your opinion, how important is the role of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in addressing new international challenges?

 

– The CSTO format of inter-parliamentary cooperation is gaining momentum and is making a tangible contribution to the strengthening of our common security and stability. This argument is supported by the results of the joint meeting of the Council and the 15th plenary session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly held in Moscow on December 5, 2022, with its agenda covering a wide range of issues.

It addresses key tasks for the formation of a common legal framework in the security sphere throughout the entire CSTO territory, including the fight against terrorism, extremism, illicit drug trafficking and other challenges and threats common to our states. Developing common approaches to counter outside interference in the internal affairs of the Organization’s Member States is critical. 

There is no doubt that the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly plays a crucial role in this work.

 

– Can you argue that parliamentary diplomacy is more effective than official diplomacy?

 

– To some extent, it is. Inter-parliamentary cooperation as an institution of representative democracy has a special mission. It allows a direct dialogue between the legislative bodies vested with the right to speak on behalf of the peoples of our states in solving urgent issues of world politics. The national parliaments use their key functions to more and more actively involve the states and international organizations in the process of formulating their political positions and providing legislative backing for specific decisions on the pressing issues of the international agenda. And crucially, the ever-improving and expanding resources of parliamentary diplomacy build trust between countries.

 

– With all the importance of the CSTO and the Organization’s Parliamentary Assembly, is the expansion of the CSTO sphere of cooperation relevant?

 

– Indeed, there is a need today to expand external relations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, primarily with other international organizations and like-minded countries that value peace and stability and are interested in creating conditions for the safe development of the region. For this purpose, the Organization has established legal mechanisms of partnership and observation. They are sufficiently flexible and provide opportunities for interested parties to build cooperation with the CSTO in a convenient format in the areas of mutual interest. 

This applies to various forms of interaction, for example, invitations to participate as observers in CSTO exercises and operations, meetings of defence ministers of CSTO, CIS and SCO states and cooperation between the CSTO Secretariat and secretariats of international organizations active in the security sphere, primarily the UN.