Aigul Kuspan: The Role of the CSTO and its Parliamentary Assembly Will Continue to Increase

Interview with Aigul Kuspan, Chairwoman of the Committee on International Affairs, Defence and Security of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan

– Ms. Kuspan, in one of his speeches, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, noted that the role of the CSTO in modern realities had significantly increased. Do you agree with his assessment?

– I agree with our President, the role of the CSTO has significantly increased. The agenda of the Organization has considerably expanded. Before, we focused on the military bloc, for example, discussing the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces. Today, however, we are also talking about the fight against drug trafficking, terrorism, cyber security, biological and information security and cooperation in emergency situations. All of these are new challenges requiring cooperation. In this regard, the role of the CSTO and its Parliamentary Assembly will undoubtedly continue to increase.

– In 2024, Kazakhstan chaired the CSTO. Could you please briefly recap this presidency?

– As Yerlan Koshanov, Speaker of the Mazhilis, noted at a recent meeting in Moscow, thanks to coordinated joint work with partners, all CSTO's tasks during Kazakhstan's chairmanship have been accomplished. At the summit in Astana, the presidents of our states praised the activities carried out during Kazakhstan's chairmanship and adopted a number of important documents aimed at further development of the Organization.

I consider one of the important developments to be the deepening of the CSTO's cooperation with interested states and international structures in the security sphere. 

We have continued to develop CSTO contacts with the CIS and the SCO. Last October, Moscow hosted a traditional meeting in the CSTO-CIS-SCO format. There, it was noted that the basic political principles and statutory provisions of these organizations coincide.

Also, 2024 marked the 20th anniversary since the CSTO received the UN observer status; and in November, a joint resolution on cooperation between the UN and the CSTO was adopted in New York. 

– Could you point out the Assembly's model Acts, the work on which you find particularly memorable? 

– In recent years, the Assembly has adopted a number of important model legislative acts covering key aspects of collective security. In particular, it adopted documents in the sphere of information and biological security, combating terrorism and extremism, as well as countering drug trafficking. All of them are very important for all CSTO Member States. 

I remember the discussion of the draft Recommendations on Liability for the Actions Related to Nazism Rehabilitation and Distortion of the Historical Truth. For Kazakhstan, the memory of the heroism of Soviet soldiers is sacred because about 1.2 million people went to war from our country, and almost half of them died. We have 500 Heroes of the Soviet Union, not to mention the home front. We honor this sacred memory. 

Next year, our states will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. This is a special holiday for all of us. Under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan, special attention was paid to the preparations for the event. In December, at the plenary session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, an Address in connection with the forthcoming anniversary was adopted.

– Yes, everyone remembers those heated discussions. Such a relevant topic... Did you and your colleagues often have misunderstandings?

– No, it's just a work matter, we have always overcome misunderstandings, that's what discussions are for. But I like the general atmosphere of mutual respect that has developed in the Parliamentary Assembly.

– And sometimes heated discussions are just a sign of sincere involvement of parliamentarians and experts to the topics that are being developed, right? 

– Of course. And this is wonderful.

– How would you describe the value of the laws that are being developed within the CSTO PA?

– The point is that it is not easy at all to develop model laws. You have to try hard to make them not sporadic, but truly model and universal for the CSTO Member States. Therefore, you have to be very open-minded in this regard. First, it is necessary to study legislation and practices on a particular issue in all our countries, to see what has already been done, which experience has been useful, and what is better to avoid. This requires a considerable effort. And it is good that we, parliamentarians, make this effort together with experts. And when we make national laws, we proceed according to the situation in Kazakhstan specifically, we verify that there is no conflict with other legal acts and devise which amendments we will need to make to the criminal, administrative and other codes. Especially to the codes.

– Kazakhstan, as we know, even has an entrepreneur code.

– Yes, we do. This code is a “sacred cow”, if you will; and when working upon it, it is absolutely necessary not to harm entrepreneurs. We always pay attention to the regulatory impact assessment. Sure enough, we also proceed on the basis of our international commitments. A whole range of expertise is conducted – linguistic, environmental, and many others. 

Since the model law is a framework law, it is clear that it needs to be adapted, but it is still a useful tool. And our CSTO partners are implementing these laws into their national legislations.

– Are there often ambivalent points in the texts of the developed acts? 

– It all depends on the specific authors, on how they approached the task. But, to be fair, it should be said that it is always easy to judge, but it is much more difficult to develop a new model act. 

– Which law developed by Kazakhstan during its presidency in 2024 is particularly worth mentioning?

– This year, the Kazakh side developed a model law on countering terrorism in accordance with the Assembly's Action Plan. In my opinion, it is a very decent document. 

– Thank you very much for your answer. You have mentioned crucial aspects of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the CSTO. But it would be equally interesting to recall not only the beginning of this year, but also the beginning of your work in the CSTO PA. Which events are particularly memorable for you? 

– I started my mission in the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly in 2021. The pandemic was still ongoing then, and we worked online. I met Leonid Kalashnikov, Anatoly Vyborny and other colleagues via videoconference. Sometimes there were disputes and misunderstandings during discussions, but we always came to a consensus and mutual understanding, and it was an interesting experience for me. And after the end of the pandemic, in 2022, we started to meet in person. My first trip was to Yerevan, then to Minsk and Moscow; and live communication proved to be very useful and efficient. Lately, I am more and more persuaded that somehow we have already become especially close, we know each other well. The CSTO Parliamentary Assembly has a lot of worthy people from the field of defence and security, who came to the parliaments for a good reason; and it is not a coincidence that they have engaged themselves with the activities of the Assembly. They are generals and diplomats, people with great life and professional experience. It is always interesting to listen to them. For example, just before the CSTO PA Council in Almaty, we communicated informally; and it was particularly interesting to discuss various issues with the colleagues, even in an informal format, just like normal people. 

CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Press Service