CSTO Secretary General: Tensions in Eastern Europe will ease after Russia’s proposals to NATO

Organization Member States’ universities provide subsidized or free-of-charge training for experts in various fields from the CSTO States.
A systematic dialogue between the CSTO and the United Nations, the OSCE, the SCO and other international bodies develops successfully.
These are perhaps the key facts, but our work is not limited to these areas.
CSTO. Allies: Mr Zas, how do you assess the current state of international security?
Stanislav Zas: The state of affairs in international security leaves little reason for optimism. It is clear that there is a growing crisis in many parts of the world. Tensions are mounting on a global scale and new poles of military-political power are being formed. A number of major players continue attempting to impose their vision and algorithm of action on other countries and alliances. The number of hotbeds of instability in different parts of the world is growing.
For obvious reasons, we are primarily concerned with the growing crises at the borders of the CSTO Member States. Certainly, these are the persistence of an entire range of challenges and threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, continued instability at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, intensified attempts by the USA and European states to put pressure on the CSTO Member States – Russia and Belarus – and the situation in the south-east of Ukraine.
Under such circumstances, there is no reason to speak of a favourable external environment. Consequently, issues relating to the development and implementation of comprehensive measures aimed at ensuring the security of our countries take on particular significance.
CSTO. Allies: You mentioned the situation in Afghanistan as one of the key threats to the security of the CSTO Member States. What are the prospects for its development?
Stanislav Zas: Afghanistan has always been a challenging neighbour. As far back as the early 1990s, Tajikistan has experienced numerous attempts of armed incursions and infiltrations of terrorists, drug traffickers and fighters recruiting for terrorist organizations from the Afghan territory. Another concern is the fact that the Taliban movement that came to power in the country has at its disposal a huge number of modern weapons and ammunition abandoned by the Americans and their allies, which can spread throughout the region. We do not rule out that possibility.
One also cannot ignore the fact that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is extremely grave. According to United Nations experts, more than half of the country’s population – about 23 million people – is facing an acute shortage of food. As is known, many CSTO Member States are providing the Islamic Republic with gratuitous aid in the form of food and medicine.
We are interested in the peaceful and stable development of Afghanistan, while the Organization’s main task in this area remains to ensure the security of our allies in Central Asia. To this end, we regularly monitor and analyze political developments in the country. In particular, the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers has a Working Group on Afghanistan which coordinates the positions and efforts of Member States on this subject. The extraordinary August and September sessions of the CSTO Collective Security Council were devoted to the discussion of the situation in Afghanistan.
I have already mentioned the regular joint exercises of the Organization’s Collective Forces. This year, a series of maneuvres under the unified title Combat Brotherhood 2021 involving all contingents was held in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia. Their objective was to practice localization of crisis situations using the CSTO Collective Forces.
CSTO. Allies: What scenario can the events in the conflict zone between Armenia and Azerbaijan follow?
Stanislav Zas: We are closely monitoring the development of the situation in the South Caucasus and are in constant contact with the Armenian side. Several days ago, I returned from Yerevan, where I thoroughly discussed the unfolding situation with the country’s leadership.
I appreciate the efforts of the Russian Federation, which is carrying out a very important peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh and, upon the agreement of the parties, has in fact taken on the role of mediator in the settlement of the consequences of the bloody war that broke out last year. These Russian efforts allowed to stop the fighting, save enormous number of lives, in a short period of time restore the areas affected by the hostilities, provide locals with food, clothing and medicines.
The CSTO is convinced that border disputes must be resolved exclusively by political and diplomatic means. The Organization supports the intentions of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as set out in the Trilateral Statement of November 26 this year, to establish a Commission to delimit and demarcate the state border between the two countries. We also support the steps taken by the Government of Armenia to resolve the situation politically and diplomatically. We believe this is the only way out.
I very much expect that all issues in this region will be resolved through compromise.
CSTO. Allies: You mentioned the attempts by the US and European countries to put pressure on the CSTO Member States: Russia and Belarus. What are the possible developments of the situation in this area?
Stanislav Zas: The situation on the western borders of the CSTO area of responsibility is also far from being stable. There is a build-up of the NATO military infrastructure, including troop groupings capable of carrying out offensive tasks, intensification of hostile rhetoric, introduction of new sanctions and organization of dangerous provocations in the immediate vicinity of the borders of the CSTO Member States.
These developments cannot but cause concern and, of course, they do not go unnoticed by the Organization. Russia and Belarus are building up the capabilities of the Regional Group of Forces and conducting joint exercises for possible repulsion of aggression. Russian Air Force’s strategic bombers and Belarus Air Force’s fighters have begun joint patrols of the western borders of the CSTO. A number of other joint activities are also under way.
I believe that after Russia’s offers of security guarantees to the North Atlantic Alliance the tension in the CSTO Eastern European area of responsibility should be reduced. Nobody wants a war.
CSTO. Allies: The CSTO and NATO are, in a sense, dealing with similar tasks and probably often face similar problems. Do you think that the beginning of interaction between the two alliances could be the key to reducing tension?
Stanislav Zas: As an organization designed to protect peace and stability, the CSTO has always been against the politicization of issues related to international security. There are a number of areas in which, in our view, cooperation between the CSTO and NATO would benefit both sides. First of all, this concerns the fight against drug trafficking and countering terrorism. Our Organization has expressed the willingness to begin a dialogue at the level of heads of state and foreign ministers, but there have been no reciprocal steps. This begs certain conclusions.
CSTO. Allies: What, in your opinion, lies at the heart of this approach?
Stanislav Zas: One should understand that many of today’s international problems are global in nature and, therefore, require a global response. The fragmentation of the international security system and attempts by some countries to solve the issues of their own security at the expense of others means a movement in the opposite direction.
In a broader sense, it often seems that some regions of the world start forgetting the lessons of world wars. I would like to remind that the preservation of the true history of the Great Patriotic War remains one of the important political and moral foundations of our Organization. I am convinced that it is humanity’s duty to remember not only the suffering of the millions who died and passed through the hell of war, but also the circumstances that led to the tragedy that took place. It is a very harsh political lesson, and ignoring it does not bode well for the world. From this point of view, examples of political arrogance can hardly be rationally explained.
CSTO. Allies: Consensus among the parties is a prerequisite for decision-making in the CSTO. And the Organization is an alliance of six states. Is it always easy to make decisions in this format?
Stanislav Zas: It is true, the CSTO is an association of six independent countries pursuing their own foreign policy and having their own vision of how to solve various issues in the area of ensuring their security. at the same time, as allies, we discuss absolutely all issues related to collective security with utmost frankness and, as experience shows, we come to a common understanding on most of them. The depth and intensity of interaction between Member States is evidenced, in particular, by the nature of the documents adopted in the CSTO format. Among them, there are many agreements along political and military lines, as well as in the sphere of countering challenges and threats. They can be implemented only if there is very close cooperation and a high level of mutual trust.
There is no doubt that strengthening collective security and comprehensive development of integration mechanisms within the CSTO framework is an absolutely deliberate strategic choice of all six Member States.
CSTO. Allies: What will happen if the CSTO faces a crisis which cannot be overcome through political mechanisms?
Stanislav Zas: Under its Charter, the Organization gives priority to political means in its activities. The very fact that our common interests are underpinned by political authority, backed up by the forces and assets of the collective security system, should bring anyone who wants to test us back to their senses. Nevertheless, we have an obligation to be prepared for any development, so we always keep our powder dry.
CSTO. Allies: We began our conversation with the fact that the coming year will be an anniversary year for the CSTO. What do these anniversaries mean for the Organization?
Stanislav Zas: We see the Organization’s approaching anniversary dates as an additional occasion to take stock of the work that we have all done in the past period and to tell the Member States’ public and other interested audience about our achievements and plans. In this regard, on September 16, 2021, the CSTO Collective Security Council approved an action plan to mark the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. It includes a list of various political, media and mass cultural events.
CSTO. Allies: Mr Zas, there are only a few days left before the New Year. What would you like to wish our readers?
Stanislav Zas: Readers of CSTO. Allies, all the citizens of the CSTO Member States and our friends from other countries, I sincerely wish you a happy New Year and good health, peace and prosperity.