Solidarity and co-operation. Peace and security

Belarus calls for greater unity and greater solidarity in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation — as stated by Head of State Aleksandr Lukashenko at a meeting with new CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov

The President of Belarus stressed that all members of the CSTO should unite and act together, because it is always easier and simpler to act this way,

“If someone thinks that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is not our conflict, that we will sit quietly somewhere — nothing of the kind, it will not be like that. The time will come (it is not far away, literally tomorrow) and it will require us to define ourselves, to take a certain position. I am not saying that this should be done to the detriment of national interests. Despite all the shortcomings in the union we will have to clearly define our policy, our line in order to act together. It is always simpler and easier to act together,” Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced.

The Belarusian leader once again stressed that no one is pushing states to act contrary to their national interests. 
“However, we will have to find compromises. Within the CSTO we have found them long ago, and we act as one organisation. I think we have to go through this difficult period, and it will further unite our organisation on the principles that are necessary and possible for every state, which is a member of this organisation. Let us think about it together,” the President of Belarus said.
Imangali Tasmagambetov assumed the position of CSTO Secretary General quite recently. In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “I am pleased to meet with you, an experienced person. We have much in common. You and I worked in the Komsomol in our youth. You have come a very long way that deserves respect. Today there are few people who have such experience from the Soviet times (we can evaluate this period differently), and they are worth a lot. I think this experience of yours, including your diplomatic work, will be useful to us. Especially this year during Belarus’ presidency in the organisation. It will be also useful during forthcoming years of your work in the CSTO. It will not only come in handy, it will be in high demand.” 
The President emphasised that such experience is highly valuable, because it is necessary to pass it on to a younger, less experienced generation, “Kazakhstan has already been experiencing it — the change of generations in politics. This rarely goes painless. I would like it to be painless. Both for us and for you.”
The Belarusian chairmanship in the CSTO is held under the motto ‘Through solidarity and co-operation towards peace and security’. Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled important points during the meeting, 

“Challenges are many. We took the risk to compile the programme of our presidency in the organisation so that we could try to solve the problems that we have, especially on the borders of CSTO member states. I do not speak of your experience in vain. You have a great memory. You know well both the Caucasus and Central Asia. We have problems there. Let us try to resolve them and, as much as possible, bring the Collective Security Treaty Organisation together in these difficult times. You see what is happening on the perimeter.”

Imangali Tasmagambetov thanked the Belarusian leader for supporting his candidacy for the position of CSTO Secretary General at the organisation’s session in November 2022. He said that he assumed his duties on January 10th, 2023.
Later, the CSTO Secretary General told reporters some of the details of the meeting. According to him, a wide range of topical issues was discussed with an emphasis on the further activities of the organisation, 

“Aleksandr Lukashenko drew attention to the very difficult issues of our organisation’s activities. First of all, he highlighted the special importance of strengthening allied interaction and solidarity of the CSTO member states in this difficult time of the systemic crisis of international relations and external threats.”

The system of ensuring international peace and security that has taken shape in recent decades is in crisis, which negatively affects, among other things, the CSTO. Along the perimeter of responsibility and borders of the CSTO, we see them forming a kind of belt of instability, an arc of conflicts from the southern borders of the CSTO states in Central Asia through the South Caucasus directly to the Eastern European region, the Secretary General noted.
“Therefore, the Belarusian President urged to further develop a set of anti-crisis measures, improve existing and create new components of the crisis response system. 

The CSTO has a solid multifunctional potential to respond to a wide range of growing challenges and threats,” Imangali Tasmagambetov emphasised.

CSTO Secretary General 
Imangali Tasmagambetov, 
“Practical steps are envisaged in order to strengthen the military capabilities. They are primarily aimed at ensuring the combat readiness of the collective forces of the organisation. In this regard, this year Belarus will host three exercises: Vzaimodeistvie, Echelon and Poisk. One of the most important areas of activity will be the improvement of the work in the areas of countering terrorism and transnational crime, drug trafficking, uncontrolled migration and also in the field of information support... We will continue to co-operate with major international associations, including the UN, the SCO, the CIS, and the OSCE.”



For peace and security
On November 23rd, 2022, the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko presented goals and priorities of Belarus’ presidency over the Collective Security Treaty Organisation at a plenary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Yerevan, “In emerging conditions we see the following fundamental goals of Belarus’ presidency. Domestically we have to improve the unity of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation member states. These are fundamental goals: to increase our unity, reduce the level of tensions, and address contradictions between them for the sake of strengthening the organisation itself, for the sake of ensuring security and stability in the organisation’s responsibility area. The targets in foreign policy are as follows: enhancing the role and the significance of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in the system of international relations. Let me explain: countries don’t really want to deal with us, particularly our main competitors, so to say, NATO countries. They keep their distance from us whatever we may offer to individual NATO member states, to the collective West. But very serious shifts have been secured within the framework of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, the Commonwealth of Independent States. Heads of European countries already notice us.
They may call us some ‘paper tigers’ at first but since they’ve noticed us, it means we exist. And we will have to move in this direction.”
In his speech, Aleksandr Lukashenko also named the priorities of Belarus’ presidency over the Collective Security Treaty Organisation: 
First. The resolution of crisis situations and the prevention of further destabilisation in the CSTO’s responsibility area should remain in the centre of our attention. January events in Kazakhstan [2022], the conflict in Ukraine, the situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, and the situation at the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border vividly confirm the vital importance of this idea. All of us need peace! And as all of us stated absolutely unanimously, nobody needs war!
Second. Effective positioning of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in the system of international relations by advancing co-operation with international organisations and third countries represents a key factor for our organisation’s inclusion in the most pressing problems on the international agenda. 
Third. The military component of the CSTO is an inalienable component of the organisation, on the basis of which, in fact, it was created 20 years ago. As for priority tasks in this field, we believe it is necessary to increase the readiness of components of the CSTO forces to carry out their missions and to step up military technology co-operation of the member states. 
At the meeting of the leaders of the CSTO member states on May 16th in Moscow, the Belarusian leader also spoke about the importance of the analytical and forecast component in the activities of the organisation. From here follows the fourth direction, voiced by Aleksandr Lukashenko, “We are going to focus on building up the institutional potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in the sphere of information and analysis. We see this as a guarantee of a qualitative strengthening of the organisation and a more effective response to emerging security challenges and threats… Information and psychological operations are akin to military operations. We have to be ready for them. The formation of a network of national analytical institutes for strategic studies in the member states will be a concrete practical contribution to the accomplishment of this task. It will allow uniting the scientific and expert potential of our countries in the name of ensuring peace and security.”

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by
Photos by BELTA