Stanislav Zas: Year by year, the parliamentary dimension becomes an increasingly important part of our work

Year by year, the parliamentary dimension becomes an increasingly important part of our work in strengthening and developing the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

“Close cooperation between the CSTO Secretariat and the Organization’s Parliamentary Assembly contributes to the effectiveness of joint activities. We are already implementing a range of joint activities on a regular basis. One of the recent events was significant and useful: a visit to the CSTO Secretariat by the chairpersons of foreign policy committees (commissions) of parliaments of the CSTO Member States. They received detailed information on the implementation of the CSTO objectives. We had a thorough discussion of the current situation in the Organization’s area of responsibility,” said Stanislav Zas.

He recalled that the Organization has to act amidst heightened volatility of foreign affairs. For instance, the infrastructure of the North Atlantic Alliance is moving right up to the CSTO area of responsibility. “In essence, the third stage of NATO expansion in Europe and further militarization of the European continent has been launched,” said Stanislav Zas.

“Under these circumstances, we see the need to strengthen unity in our Organization,” said Stanislav Zas, “and to develop foreign policy, strengthen the Collective Defence Forces and improve the crisis response system.”

The Secretary General spoke about concrete steps being taken in this area.

Speaking about the development of CSTO’s foreign policy component, Stanislav Zas mentioned the ongoing work to develop relations with international organizations, primarily with the UN.

Thus, according to him, another draft Resolution on the cooperation between the UN and the CSTO in the area of maintaining international peace and security is being prepared. Stanislav Zas hopes that this document will be adopted at the forthcoming 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

The Secretary General deliberated on the development of peacekeeping, touching upon the institution of the Special Representative of the CSTO Secretary General for peacekeeping, the introduction of the notion of a coordinating state and measures to train and certify personnel and to improve their medical support.

Stanislav Zas also noted that he considers it useful to continue the practice of parliamentarians’ participation in joint exercises of the CSTO Collective Forces, all of which will be conducted in 2022.