CSTO Aims to Reduce Decision-Making Timelines for Member Assistance

The countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) plan to minimize the timelines for developing and implementing decisions regarding assistance to member states. This was announced by CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov during a meeting of the organization's foreign ministers in Minsk.

“A renewed package of documents has been prepared, which proposes changes to the principles governing the CSTO's response to crisis situations and the procedure for making and implementing collective decisions on the application of the forces and means of the Collective Security System. The most crucial proposed changes relate to reducing the timelines for the development, discussion, adoption, and implementation of corresponding council (CSTO Collective Security Council) decisions, including those related to providing assistance to CSTO states,” said the CSTO Secretary General.

According to him, the proposal to reduce timelines pertains to both the actions of the Secretary General, statutory and permanent working bodies, as well as mechanisms for decision-making at the national level. Tasmagambetov noted that another important initiative is the introduction of a concept for the emergency application of forces and means, transferring a number of functions from the Collective Security Council to the Council of Defense Ministers of the CSTO and the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils.

Additionally, a concept for the CSTO monitoring mission is being implemented. He reported that after discussion in the format of the CSTO Permanent Council, the documents, with the changes and additions made, were sent in April to the member states for discussion, and the secretariat has already received information on the positions of Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.

In this regard, Tasmagambetov requested to expedite the procedure for discussing the documents, as the agreed draft versions must be submitted to the upcoming session of the Collective Security Council with preliminary approval from the other statutory bodies of the organization. The Secretary General emphasized that these documents are of a strategic nature and require significant attention.

It should be noted that the CSTO includes Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.