Russian Foreign Ministry: strengthening of CSTO peacekeeping potential to continue
Strengthening of the peacekeeping potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation will continue – as stated by the official representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, during a briefing today, BelTA reports
"Taking into account the results of a special meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council held on January 10th, the systematic work on formation of a reliable system of collective security of Russia and its allies, including strengthening of the organisation’s peacekeeping potential, will continue," Ms. Zakharova noted.
Speaking of the CSTO peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan, the diplomat stressed that the organisation provided assistance in restoring stability in a friendly state. "In response to an appeal of the President of Kazakhstan, Mr. Tokayev, the CSTO Collective Security Council made a unanimous decision to provide military assistance to the fraternal country within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty. The UN Security Council, the OSCE and SCO secretaries-general were notified of that decision," she added.
The CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces – which comprised units of all allied countries, including Belarus – were sent to Kazakhstan. “Thanks to the lightning-fast deployment and actions of the CSTO peacekeepers, primarily dealing with protection and defence of the critical infrastructure facilities, Kazakhstan’s law enforcement bodies managed to focus their forces and resources on restoring law and order and eliminating threats to the country's security," Ms. Zakharova said, adding, “It is important to emphasise that Kazakhstan’s leadership recognised this CSTO peacekeeping operation as highly effective and useful.”
The diplomat added that Kazakhstan faced an act of international terrorism ‘which threatened to undermine the international order, destroy the institution of governance, and seize power’. According to the official representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the hybrid attack on Kazakhstan was supported from the outside. "The co-ordinated and externally supported hybrid attack against this country with direct participation of armed terrorist gangs – obviously trained in terrorist camps abroad and clearly having experience in combat operations in hot spots of the planet – led to tragic consequences in Kazakhstan," Ms. Zakharova noted.
