Sergei Rachkov: In this difficult time, CSTO States need to unite

Sergei Rachkov, representative of the Coordination Council of Chairpersons of Committees (Commissions) on Defence and Security of the Parliaments of the CSTO Member States under the CSTO PA Council and Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, is convinced that recently the CSTO parliamentarians have become considerably more active. He said this to a BelTA correspondent today.

“This council has been operating for quite a long time. Meetings are held several times a year. We discuss various issues relating to the operation of our Organization and parliamentary participation in the CSTO work,” Sergei Rachkov said. “Notably, recently the parliamentarians have become considerably more active. We observe exercises held within the CSTO. Another goal of the meetings is to prepare analytical reports assessing the situation in the area of defence and security in the CSTO regions of responsibility.”

“We discuss the situation in the Central Asian region. It is no secret that there are certain conflicts between a number of CSTO Member States. But we do not overreact to this. We believe that these issues have more to do with bilateral relations. There are similar issues in NATO as well. For example, between Turkey and Cyprus. This is not our focus today,” he stressed. “There is a growing NATO presence on the western borders of Belarus. Together with the Russian Federation, we are forced to reinforce the southern border. Certainly, parliamentarians have to monitor these matters and participate in the development of the decisions to be taken.”

The CSTO States need to be closer to each other, Sergei Rachkov believes. “We need to unite because the times are very hard, there are many challenges and threats, including those to the defence and security of our countries. One of the issues to be discussed is the military cooperation within the CSTO. Belarusian representatives will report on the country’s contribution and participation in military cooperation within the CSTO.”