What does okb mean. On the Parliamentary Assembly of the CSTO. CSTO: Birth Traumas and Ineradicable Contradictions

The formation of a collective security system in the post-Soviet space began almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR. So, on February 14, 1992, a decision was made to create the Council of Defense Ministers (CMO) and the High Command of the Commonwealth Joint Armed Forces Independent States(Allied Forces of the CIS), and on March 20 of the same year, an Agreement on Allied Forces for a Transitional Period was signed.

Thus, an attempt was made to preserve a common defense space and transform the former Soviet Army into a single armed force for all CIS members. However, in parallel with this, diametrically opposite trends developed and intensified - many former republics of the USSR began to form their own armies. This actually led to the division and nationalization of the armed forces, equipment and property by the newly independent states. Soviet army stationed in their territories.

Thus, already in the spring of 1992, it became clear that it was impossible to keep the CIS centralized army under unified control. There were many reasons for this: from the strengthening of centrifugal forces and the collapse of the command and control system to the conflicts that broke out between the former republics of the USSR. At the same time, the leadership of the majority of the republics had a growing understanding of the need for qualitatively new forms and mechanisms of integration in the military-political sphere, which would make it possible to create a more effective security system with significantly lower economic, scientific and technical costs, and reduce the escalation of armed conflicts in the post-Soviet space. It was with these factors in mind that on May 15, 1992, in Tashkent, the representatives of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan concluded the Collective Security Treaty. During September - December 1992, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of Belarus acceded to the Treaty.

On April 20, 1994, immediately after the submission of instruments of ratification by the signatory states, the Treaty entered into force. On November 1, 1995, the agreement was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of which the CST was concluded.

After the entry into force of the Treaty, a number of important legal documents were adopted that promoted the process of military

political integration in various areas within its competence. Among them, it is worth noting the “Declaration of the States Parties to the Collective Security Treaty” and the “Concept of Collective Security of the States Parties to the Collective Security Treaty” adopted in 1995. In the same year, the “Plan for the Implementation of the Collective Security Concept” and the “Main Directions for Deepening Military Cooperation” were adopted, which set the task of organizing regional systems of collective security. Approved in 1999, the "Plan for the second stage of the formation of a collective security system" already provided for the formation of regional coalition groupings of troops in the Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian directions.

At the Session of the Collective Security Council on April 2, 1999 in Moscow, the “Protocol on the Extension of the Collective Security Treaty” was signed and then ratified. The Protocol provided for the automatic extension of the term of the Treaty for successive five-year periods.

Qualitatively new stage in the development of the Treaty was opened by the “Memorandum on Improving the Effectiveness of the Collective Security Treaty and its Adaptation to the Current Geopolitical Situation” adopted by the Collective Security Council in 2000, the implementation of which aimed the Treaty at repelling new challenges and threats to the regional and international security.

At the same time, the “Regulations on the procedure for making and implementing collective decisions on the use of forces and means of the collective security system”, “Model of the regional system of collective security”, “Basic provisions of the coalition strategy” were approved, designed to form the organizational and legal basis for the activities of the Collective Security Treaty in the field of ensuring on a collective basis of the security of its member states.

Signed in 2000-2001, the “Agreement on the status of formations of forces and means of the collective security system” and the “Protocol on the procedure for the formation and functioning of the forces and means of the collective security system of the CST member states” were of fundamental importance in this regard.

The logical stage in the formation and development of the military component of the CST was the creation, by decision of the CSC in 2001, of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Collective Security Region, which were equipped with four battalions from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (one from each state) with a total strength of one and a half thousand people with a military command.

At the same time, the creation and improvement of the activities of the advisory bodies of the Collective Security Treaty - the Councils of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils - proceeded. A workable Secretariat of the CSC was created, a consultation process was established both at the level of the CSC, Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and CFR, and with the participation of deputy ministers of foreign affairs and defense, experts from the participating states, their plenipotentiaries under the Secretary General of the CSC.

Finally, in the fall of 2002, a milestone event took place in the life of the Collective Security Treaty - a new international organization was created on the basis of the Treaty. On October 7, 2002, the presidents of the CST member states of May 15, 1992 signed two important documents - the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Agreement on the Legal Status of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Almost a year later, on September 18, 2003, these documents came into force. According to them, the CSTO members are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan. On December 2, 2004, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution granting the Collective Security Treaty Organization observer status in General Assembly UN.

The official goal of the CSTO was to prevent, by joint efforts, and, if necessary, eliminate the military threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the participating states. To counter new challenges and threats to national, regional and international security, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan agreed to intensify their activities in this area, taking concrete actions aimed at a resolute fight against international terrorism. Thus, in the fall of 2003, cooperation within the framework of the Treaty was transformed into a full-fledged international intergovernmental regional organization, which is called upon to play a leading role in ensuring security in the Eurasian space as a whole, and the CIS space in particular.

In fact, the decision to transform the Collective Security Treaty into an international organization was a response to the challenges of the changing geopolitical situation. There was an urgent need to adapt the Treaty to the dynamics of regional and international security, to counter new challenges and threats. The main task the Organization being created was the coordination and deepening of military-political interaction, the formation of multilateral structures and cooperation mechanisms designed to ensure the national security of the participating States on a collective basis, to provide needed help, including military, to the participating State that has been the victim of aggression.

It was fundamentally important to include in the CSTO Charter a provision that one of the main goals of the Organization and its activities is to coordinate and unite efforts in the fight against international terrorism and other non-traditional security threats. At the same time, the obligation of the member states to harmonize and coordinate their foreign policy positions on international and regional security problems was recorded.

The creation of the Collective Security Treaty Organization has also become an important political event in the life of the member states of the Treaty. There is no doubt that membership in a new regional organization really contributes to strengthening their political weight and positions in international community and ensuring stability and security at the international and regional levels.

According to the wording, the fundamental documents of the CSTO are quite strong. In accordance with the Treaty, the participating States ensure their security on a collective basis. Article 2 of the Treaty states: “In the event of a threat to the security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of one or more participating States, or a threat to international peace and security, the participating States will immediately activate the mechanism of joint consultations in order to coordinate their positions and adopt measures to eliminate the threat."

At the same time, Article 4 provides: “In the event of

committing an act of aggression against any of the participating States, all other participating States will provide it with the necessary assistance, including military, and will also support the means at their disposal in order to exercise the right to collective defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. At the same time, the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization provides for the obligatory implementation of adopted decisions and sanctions for their non-compliance.

Thus, the main document of the Collective Security Treaty Organization expresses a purely defensive orientation military policy participating States, with priority given to political means of preventing and eliminating military conflicts. In its content, the Treaty is primarily a factor of military-political deterrence.

The states parties to the Treaty emphasize that they do not consider anyone as an adversary and stand for mutually beneficial cooperation with all states. The treaty remains open for accession to it by other states that share its goals and principles. Individual states or international organizations are granted observer status with the CSTO by the Charter.

The very essence of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the principles and forms of cooperation laid down in its Charter, as well as the declared positions of the member states, predetermined a real opportunity for it to become integral part common and comprehensive security systems for Europe and Asia. “In the event of the creation in Europe and Asia of a system of collective security,” written in Article 1 of the Treaty, “and the conclusion of collective security treaties for this purpose, to which the contracting parties will steadily strive, the participating States will enter into immediate consultations with each other with a view to making the necessary changes to this Agreement. This fundamental point is constantly confirmed in subsequent documents of the Collective Security Treaty.

The transformation of an interstate treaty into a full-fledged international organization could not but affect the internal structure of the latter. As early as April 28, 2003, at the session of the CSC in Dushanbe, provisions were developed to regulate the activities of the organization and the structure of the CSTO was clearly formulated. The competence of the main bodies of the Collective Security Treaty has significantly expanded - the Ministerial Council of Foreign Affairs, the CMO and the KSSB have now become not only advisory, but also executive bodies.

On this moment the structure of the CSTO is as follows. The supreme body of the Organization is the Collective Security Council (CSC). The Council considers the fundamental issues of the Organization's activities and makes decisions aimed at the implementation of its goals and objectives, as well as ensures coordination and joint activities Member States to achieve these goals. The Council consists of the heads of member states.

In the period between sessions of the CSC, the Permanent Council, which consists of authorized representatives appointed by the Member States, is responsible for coordinating the interaction of the Member States in the implementation of decisions taken by the bodies of the Organization. Advisory and executive body of the Collective Security Treaty Organization on issues of coordination of interaction between member states in the field of foreign policy is the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA).

In turn, the Council of Defense Ministers (CMO) is the CSTO advisory and executive body for coordinating the interaction of member states in the field of military policy, military development and military technical cooperation. A place for the CSTO advisory and executive body on issues of coordination of interaction between member states in the field of ensuring their national security allocated to the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils (CSSC).

Supreme Administrative official organization is the Secretary General, who manages the CSTO Secretariat. The Secretary General of the organization is appointed by the CSC decision from among the citizens of the member states and is accountable to the Council.

Finally, in order to intensify work to strengthen the military component of the CSTO, the Joint Headquarters of the CSTO was formed.

During its short but eventful history, the Collective Security Treaty Organization has repeatedly given rise to talk about itself. At the initial stage, the Treaty contributed to the creation of the national armed forces of the participating States, ensuring adequate external conditions for their independent state building.

The possibilities of the Treaty were directly activated in the fall of 1996 and in the summer of 1998 in connection with the dangerous development of events in Afghanistan in close proximity to the borders of the Central Asian member states of the Collective Security Treaty, in order to prevent attempts by extremists to destabilize the situation in this region.

In 1999 and 2000, as a result of promptly implemented measures by the CST member states, with the participation of Uzbekistan, the threat posed by large-scale actions of armed groups of international terrorists in southern Kyrgyzstan and other regions was neutralized Central Asia.

The CST also played an important military-political role in the process of achieving national reconciliation in Tajikistan. Moreover, in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, within the framework of the CSTO, this country is receiving significant political, military and military-technical assistance.

In general, it can be confidently stated that the Collective Security Treaty Organization is a significant international regional organization in the expanses of Eurasia. Moreover, the CSTO is a Eurasian organization not only in the spatial and geographical, but also in the political and legal sense due to the universality of its principles and practical goals, as well as through the direct participation of its member states in the relevant European and Asian security structures, in

first of all, the OSCE and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

In conclusion, it should be noted that after the collapse of the USSR, the balance of power in the world was upset, and a new security architecture has not yet been created. Moreover, the situation in the post-Soviet space, which was tightly controlled by Moscow twenty years ago, cannot now be called stable either. In this regard, Russia simply needs a powerful integration grouping, consisting of allied countries, capable of adequately responding to the challenges of our time. In this regard, the CSTO really contributes to solving the problems of national security. Russian Federation on its front lines, the creation, in fact, under the auspices of Russia, of a vast political and defense space and a common military-technical potential.

In a broader sense, the Treaty, especially with the creation of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, can help strengthen the positions of Russia and the common allied collective positions of the CSTO member states in the world, the formation of a significant Eurasian pole of security and stability.

The long-term goal of Russia's policy towards the CSTO, and, if possible, the entire CIS, is to be the creation of a community of states capable of becoming in the 21st century one of the world's leading centers of sustainable political, socio-economic, scientific and technological development, a zone of peace, national and social harmony . Here, military-political factors are closely intertwined with the necessary internal reforms.

Maintaining stability along the perimeter of its own borders, creating and strengthening the belt of good neighborliness, peace and security is one of the key priorities of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation. Moreover, this factor is of particular importance with the emergence of new challenges and threats, the increased use of Russian territory by international terrorists and drug dealers to achieve their cross-border goals. Under these conditions, it seems that it is the CSTO that can become the structure that will best meet Russia's national interests in a rapidly changing international situation.

BASIC INFORMATION

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO PA) is the statutory body of the CSTO inter-parliamentary cooperation.

On November 24, 2016 and November 5, 2019, the Chairman was elected Chairman of the CSTO PA State Duma Federal Assembly Russian Federation of the VII convocation Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin.

The working bodies of the CSTO PA are the permanent commissions, the Coordinating Meeting of the Chairmen of the Committees (Commissions) on Defense and Security of the Parliaments of the CSTO Member States under the CSTO PA Council, the Expert Advisory Council and the Information and Analytical Legal Center.

Functions for organizational, technical and other support of the activities of the Parliamentary Assembly are assigned to the Secretariat, whose activities
led by the Executive Secretary of the Parliamentary Assembly.

The official symbol of the CSTO is the flag, which is a rectangular panel of blue color, in the center of which is the CSTO emblem (a silver-bound blue shield in the form of a quadrangular fortification, on the border of which there are silver rivets, in the field of the shield there is a golden ball, the shield is framed with a golden laurel-oak wreath).

HISTORY OF CREATION

In 1999, the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly adopted a special decision, according to which the parliamentary delegations representing the states of the IPA CIS - participants in the Collective Security Treaty (CST) began to consider legal issues of implementing this agreement within the framework of the IPA CIS. The status of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly as a parliamentary structure of the Collective Security Treaty was fixed in 2000 at the session of the CST Collective Security Council (Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic), when the CIS IPA in the CST format was tasked with developing model laws and recommendations in order to unify and harmonize legislation On November 23, 2001, at its first meeting, the members of the IPA Council of the CIS States - participants in the CST adopted the Program for the Legal Support of the Plan of Basic Measures for Forming the Collective Security System of the States Parties to the Collective Security Treaty for the period 2001-2005. This Program, approved by the chairmen of the CST Collective Security Council and the IPA CIS Council, became the basis for the work of parliamentarians until 2005 and was successfully implemented.

The main forms of work of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in the CST format were regular meetings of the members of the IPA Council of the CIS states - participants in the CST and the IPA CIS Permanent Commission on Defense and Security in the CST format. Interaction was established between the administrative bodies of the IPA CIS Council and the CST, information exchange between them, cooperation in the development of draft documents aimed at strengthening the collective security of the CST member states. In addition, groups of deputies of the IPA of the CIS states - participants in the CST carried out a study of the military-political situation in all regions of collective security (in Central Asia - in March 2001, in the Caucasus - in October 2004, in the West - in September 2005).

Taking into account the need to adapt the Treaty to the dynamics of regional and international security and in order to counter new challenges and threats, on May 14, 2002, at the Moscow session of the Collective Security Treaty, a decision was made to transform the Treaty into a full-fledged international organization - the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

On June 23, 2006, the Minsk session of the CSTO Collective Security Council determined the need to develop the parliamentary dimension of the CSTO within the framework of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in order to harmonize national legislations, develop model laws to solve statutory tasks of the CSTO, organization of interaction on issues of international and regional security. Based on this decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council and on the Convention on the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of States Members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the chairmen of the parliaments of the CIS member states of the CSTO at their meeting on November 16, 2006 adopted a resolution on the establishment of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (PA CSTO) . Boris Vyacheslavovich Gryzlov, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the 5th convocation, was elected Chairman of the CSTO PA.

Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the fourth and fifth convocations Gryzlov Boris Vyacheslavovich

The Chairman of the CSTO PA was Sergey Evgenievich Naryshkin - Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the VI convocation.

On November 24, 2016, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the VII convocation, was elected Chairman of the CSTO PA.

On November 5, 2019, V.V. Volodin was re-elected Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Collective Security Council (CSC) is the highest body of the Organization.

The Council considers the fundamental issues of the Organization's activities and makes decisions aimed at the implementation of its goals and objectives, as well as ensures coordination and joint activities of the Member States to achieve these goals.
The Council consists of the heads of member states.
In the period between CSC sessions, the Permanent Council, which consists of authorized representatives appointed by the Member States, is responsible for coordinating the interaction of the Member States in the implementation of decisions taken by the bodies of the Organization.

Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA)- a consultative and executive body of the Organization for the coordination of interaction between member states in the field of foreign policy.

Council of Defense Ministers (CMO)- a consultative and executive body of the Organization for the coordination of interaction between member states in the field of military policy, military development and military-technical cooperation.

The Military Committee was established on December 19, 2012 under the Council of Ministers of Defense of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in order to promptly consider the planning and use of forces and means of the collective security system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and prepare the necessary proposals for the CFR.

Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils (CSSC)- a consultative and executive body of the Organization for the coordination of interaction between member states in the field of ensuring their national security.

Secretary General of the Organization is the highest administrative officer of the Organization and manages the Secretariat of the Organization. Appointed by the decision of the CSC from among the citizens of the Member States and is accountable to the CSC.

Secretariat of the Organization- a permanent working body of the Organization for the implementation of organizational, informational, analytical and advisory support for the activities of the bodies of the Organization.

The CSC has the right to create, on a permanent or temporary basis, working and auxiliary bodies of the Organization.

Joint Headquarters of the CSTO- a permanent working body of the Organization and the CMO of the CSTO, responsible for preparing proposals and implementing decisions on the military component of the CSTO.

Collective Security Treaty Organizations(reference Information)

1. History of creation, basics of activity, organizational structure

The organization of the Collective Security Treaty originates in the conclusion of the Collective Security Treaty, which was signed in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) on May 15, 1992 by the heads of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Later, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Georgia joined it (1993). The treaty entered into force upon completion of the national ratification processes on April 20, 1994. The key article of the Treaty is the fourth, which states that:

“If one of the participating states is subjected to aggression by any state or group of states, then this will be considered as aggression against all states parties to this Treaty.

In the event of an act of aggression against any of the participating States, all other participating States will provide it with the necessary assistance, including military assistance, as well as support with the means at their disposal in order to exercise the right to collective defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

In addition, Article 2 of the Treaty establishes a regional consultation mechanism in the event of a threat to the security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of one or more participating States, or a threat to international peace and security, and also provides for the conclusion of additional agreements governing certain issues of cooperation in the field of collective security between the participating states.

The Collective Security Treaty was concluded for five years with the possibility of subsequent extension. In 1999, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia and Tajikistan signed the Protocol on the Extension of the Collective Security Treaty (link), on the basis of which a new composition of the participating countries was formed and an automatic procedure for extending the Treaty for five-year periods was established.

Further development cooperation in the format of the Treaty required quality institutional changes which led to the signing on October 7, 2002 in Chisinau (Moldova) of the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which from the point of view of international law is a regional international security organization.

In accordance with Article 3 of the CSTO Charter, the goals of the Organization are to strengthen peace, international and regional security and stability, to protect on a collective basis the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the member states.

Based on Article 5 of the CSTO Charter, the Organization in its activities is guided by the following principles: priority of political means over military ones, strict respect for independence, voluntary participation, equality of rights and obligations of member states, non-interference in matters falling under the national jurisdiction of member states.

To date, in the CSTO format, an extensive legal framework has been developed that regulates the activities of the Organization in all major areas of security. To date, 43 international treaties have been concluded and most of them have been ratified on the most fundamental issues of interstate cooperation in the field of collective security, 173 decisions of the Collective Security Council have been signed in certain areas of cooperation, approval of plans and programs of work on specific problems of collective security, solving financial, administrative and personnel issues.

The CSTO bodies, their powers and competence, as well as the procedure and procedures for interaction are determined by the CSTO Charter and the decisions of the Collective Security Council adopted in its development.

1. The statutory bodies carry out political leadership and make decisions on the main issues of the Organization's activities.

The Collective Security Council is supreme body Organization and consists of heads of member states. It considers the fundamental issues of the Organization's activities and makes decisions aimed at the implementation of its goals and objectives, as well as ensures coordination and joint activities of the Member States to achieve these goals. The chairmanship of the Council shall be transferred in the order of the Russian alphabet, unless the Council decides otherwise.

The Council of Foreign Ministers is the Organization's advisory and executive body for coordinating interaction between member states in the field of foreign policy.

The Council of Ministers of Defense is the Organization's advisory and executive body for coordinating the interaction of member states in the field of military policy, military organizational development and military-technical cooperation.

The Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils is an advisory and executive body of the Organization for the coordination of interaction between member states in the field of ensuring their national security, countering modern challenges and threats.

The Parliamentary Assembly is the body of inter-parliamentary cooperation of the Organization, which in various forms considers the activities of the CSTO, the situation in its area of ​​responsibility, the progress in implementing the decisions of the statutory bodies and the tasks of their legal support, discusses the practice of working on ratification international treaties concluded within the framework of the CSTO.

The CSTO Permanent Council deals with the issues of coordinating the interaction of the member states in the implementation of decisions taken by the CSTO bodies in the period between sessions of the Collective Security Council. It consists of authorized representatives appointed by the Member States in accordance with their domestic procedures.

2. Permanent working bodies.

The CSTO Secretariat provides organizational, informational, analytical and advisory support for the activities of the statutory bodies of the Organization. It implements the preparation of draft decisions and other documents of the bodies of the Organization. The Secretariat is formed from among the citizens of the Member States on a quota rotation basis (officials) in proportion to the share contributions of the Member States to the budget of the Organization and citizens of the Member States hired on a competitive basis under a contract (employees). The location of the Secretariat is the city of Moscow, Russian Federation.

The CSTO Joint Headquarters is responsible for preparing proposals and implementing decisions on the formation of an effective collective security system within the Organization, the creation of coalition (regional) groupings of troops (forces) and their command and control bodies, military infrastructure, the training of military personnel and specialists for the armed forces, and the provision of necessary weapons and military equipment.

3. Subsidiary bodies that can be created on a permanent or temporary basis to solve the problems facing the CSTO:

Coordinating Council of Heads of Competent Authorities for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking;

Coordinating Council of Heads of Competent Bodies to Combat Illegal Migration;

Coordinating Council of Heads of Competent Authorities for emergencies;

Interstate Commission for Military-Economic Cooperation;

Working group on Afghanistan under the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CSTO;

Working group on information policy and information security under the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of the CSTO.

The organization of the Collective Security Treaty is an important element of international relations in the post-Soviet space. It includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, spoke about countering collective threats and prospects for cooperation with the AS.

- Anatoly Alekseevich, what is the situation in the CSTO area of ​​responsibility?

The military-political situation is, of course, rather complicated. Since the collapse of the multipolar system of the world order, the level of security, both regional and global, unfortunately, remains quite low. The ongoing struggle for the redistribution of spheres of influence, the use of double standards by Western states in resolving interstate contradictions create real prerequisites for the emergence of military conflicts of various scales.

The fight against terrorism and information warfare are becoming increasingly important as a result of the emergence of qualitatively new threats related to the activities of extremist organizations and the development of information technologies.

An analysis of threats and trends in the development of the situation formed the basis of the CSTO Collective Security Strategy developed in 2016 for the period up to 2025. The document defines the strategic goals and objectives of the organization in the political field, in the areas of military security, countering transnational challenges and threats, crisis response, peacekeeping, as well as foreign policy interaction between our states. Mechanisms for ensuring collective security are defined.

In 2016, the heads of the member states of the organization decided to establish the CSTO Crisis Response Center. It is entrusted with the functions of information-analytical and organizational support for the adoption by the CSTO bodies of decisions on joint actions to prevent or resolve crisis situations, protection of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the CSTO states.

The organizational structure of the Joint Staff has been substantially changed. Subdivisions have been created to ensure the activities of the center, new algorithms have been developed for the joint work of permanent bodies with state and military administration structures of the CSTO member states. In general, I think this made it possible to clearly define the long-term development guidelines for the organization, as well as to create mechanisms for the early detection of emerging threats and an adequate response to them.

The CSTO's area of ​​responsibility includes the Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian regions of collective security. Which one needs more attention?

In each of these regions, the situation is characterized by unfavorable trends. But, in our opinion, the Central Asian region requires the most careful attention. It is there that the threat of international terrorism and the spread of religious extremism to the post-Soviet space is most clearly manifested.

The source of this threat, of course, is Afghanistan, where about 70,000 militants operate, united in more than 4,000 detachments and battle groups. The basis of anti-government groups is formed by the formation of the "Islamic movement of the Taliban" with a total number of more than 60 thousand militants. In a number of provinces in the south and east of the country, they control up to 70% of the territory. The goal of the Taliban is to overthrow the current regime and restore the theocratic state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Significant efforts of extremists are aimed at taking complete control of the northern provinces. The successful solution of this task will allow them to ensure the unhindered passage of drug trafficking along the northern route through the territory of the Central Asian republics and Russia, as well as to create a springboard for an offensive in central regions Afghanistan. To this end, the Taliban leaders, on the one hand, are trying to increase the number of armed formations, and on the other hand, in the interests of solving private problems, they are striving to establish effective interaction with regional extremist groups banned in Russia, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Hizb ut-Tahrir , "Lashkar-i-Tayiba", etc.

In addition, the activities of ISIS militants (banned in the Russian Federation) have significantly intensified in Afghanistan. Their number, according to various estimates, is more than 4 thousand people. Good conspiracy, including through the creation of so-called sleeper cells, and a well-established network of agents allow extremists to use ever more sophisticated methods of terror.

Ultimately, the activity of these organizations is capable of significantly destabilizing the situation in Central Asia and requires our constant attention and the adoption of adequate response measures within the framework of the collective security system.

Is there a danger of an invasion of large terrorist groups through Afghanistan into the territory of the Central Asian states?

Of course, such a danger exists. The leadership of ISIS is making attempts to expand its influence primarily in the northern provinces of the country, making no secret of subsequent plans to penetrate into the Central Asian republics, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China and some regions of Russia.

The main goals of the extremists are recruiting militants to participate in conflicts in the Middle East and obtaining additional sources of funding by taking control of drug trafficking and other criminal activities, including kidnapping, extortion, and arms trafficking. To achieve these goals, ISIS leaders are consistently increasing the number of groups in Afghanistan, creating a network of training camps and terrorist hiding places. Militants enter the country from the zones of the Iraqi and Syrian conflicts, as well as from the territory of Pakistan under the guise of returning Afghan refugees.

We understand the existing danger and have provided for a set of measures that ensures the availability of a sufficient number of forces and means to ensure the security of the states of the Central Asian region, and primarily Tajikistan, which has a common border with Afghanistan.

- What are these forces and how combat-ready are they?

In the Central Asian region, the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces have been created, which are capable of promptly countering manifestations of international terrorism and other threats to security. They include units from the armed forces of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The total number of the group is about 5 thousand people. These are well-trained and technically equipped, mainly air assault and mountain rifle units.

The Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) has also been created in the CSTO, which has become a universal tool that allows solving a wide range of tasks and adequately responding to all existing challenges and threats. For their recruitment, all six CSTO states have allocated the most combat-ready and mobile formations, units and formations of special forces. The total number of CRRF is about 18 thousand people.

Starting from 2015, by decision of the heads of our states, the overall leadership of the CSTO Collective Forces in the regions of collective security is carried out by the respective Joint Strategic Commands of the military districts of the Russian Armed Forces. This means that in order to counter possible threats from Afghanistan, if necessary, the potential of our Central Military District, the forces and means of all types of reconnaissance, including space, aviation, including strategic, will be used. Rocket troops and artillery, as well as other troops.

The effectiveness and combat readiness of multinational military formations are evidenced by the results of sudden checks of their readiness. One of them, with the participation of military contingents of the CSTO CRRF, was carried out with the transfer of part of the forces to the territory of Tajikistan. At the same time, aircraft military transport aviation and under its own power, units with standard weapons, equipment, ammunition and supplies were regrouped. At the Kharbmaidon training ground, which is 15 kilometers from the Tajik-Afghan border, training was held on the formation and coordination of command, planning a joint operation, and a number of combat training tasks with live firing were completed.

common and most important conclusion according to the results of the check, the military contingents of the CRRF are ready to perform tasks. This result, undoubtedly, was a deterrent and required the introduction of appropriate adjustments in the intentions of international terrorist organizations in relation to Tajikistan.

An unscheduled large-scale exercise of the CSTO CRRF held in November 2017, also on the territory of Tajikistan, had a similar deterrent character. The need for it was primarily due to the threat from the ISIS group, which is being squeezed out of Syria and Iraq into the territory of Afghanistan. More than 5,000 servicemen, 1,500 units of weapons and equipment, 77 aircraft including unmanned aerial vehicles. Units from the CSTO CRRF, as well as the Joint Russian-Tajik Group of Forces, participated. For the first time, issues of covering Tu-95MS aircraft of Russian long-range aviation by Su-30 forces fighters were worked out air defense Kazakhstan. The bombers carried out rocket and bomb strikes on mock militant bases. Missile launches of the operational-tactical complex "Iskander" were also carried out.

Thus, the CSTO has enough forces and means to ensure the security of our CSTO member states in the Central Asian region.

- How is the situation on the border of the CSTO countries with Ukraine assessed?

The Ukrainian authorities are consistently stepping up efforts to bring the armed forces to NATO standards. To this end, financial resources from Western states, foreign advisers and instructors are actively involved. Ultimately, conditions are created for the use of Ukraine and its armed forces as one of the main so-called NATO partners in countering Russia and its allies. At the same time, we do not dramatize the situation, but monitor its development in the interests of an adequate response to possible threats.

- What is the general composition of the CSTO forces and means? Is there any plan to increase their numbers?

The total number of the Collective Forces of the CSTO, created on a multilateral basis, is over 26 thousand military personnel. In addition to the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces and the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces that I have named, in 2010 the formation of peacekeeping forces CSTO, into which the states allocated on a permanent basis military, police (police) and civilian personnel with a total number of about 3,600 people. The basis of these forces is the military component. On December 23, 2014, a decision was made to create the Collective Aviation Forces. They included planes and helicopters of military transport, transport and special aviation.

In addition to the CSTO Collective Forces created on a multilateral basis, in the Eastern European region within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, as well as in the Caucasus region, on the basis of bilateral agreements between Armenia and Russia, corresponding regional groupings of troops have been created.

On a bilateral basis, the United regional system Air defense of Belarus and Russia, agreements were signed and ratified on the creation of similar Russian-Kazakh and Russian-Armenian air defense systems. On a multilateral basis, work is underway to create a joint air defense system in the Central Asian region.

In general, sufficient capacity has been created to respond to emerging threats. Today we are working primarily on improving the quality of training and technical equipment of the existing forces and assets, and improving their structure.

- What is the decision-making mechanism for the use of the CSTO armed forces?

The main form of preparation of proposals for making a decision on the use of forces and means is the mechanism of joint consultations of representatives of states. They can be carried out on various levels. The beginning of work is the official request for assistance from one or more states. The Collective Security Council decides on the use of forces and means and the provision of the necessary assistance based on the proposals of the Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of the CSTO, which are being prepared jointly with the Joint Staff and the Secretariat of the organization.

The crisis response mechanism is constantly being worked out at joint business games, staff exercises, during which the issues of reducing the time for preparing proposals and making decisions on the use of forces and means are studied.

- What CSTO exercises are planned for 2018?

In 2018, we will continue the practice of holding joint training events against the background of a conventional military-political and strategic situation as part of the Combat Brotherhood-2018 joint operational-strategic exercise. The whole range of measures to prevent (deter), resolve a military conflict and restore peace will be worked out. Joint exercises will be held on the territory of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

20 years ago by the heads of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and UzbekistanThe Collective Security Treaty was signed.

The Collective Security Treaty was signed on May 15, 1992 in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). In September 1993, Azerbaijan joined it, in December of the same year - Georgia and Belarus. The Treaty entered into force for all nine countries in April 1994 for a period of five years.

In accordance with the Treaty, the participating States ensure their security on a collective basis: "in the event of a threat to the security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of one or more participating States, or a threat to international peace and security, the participating States will immediately activate the mechanism of joint consultations in order to coordinate their positions and take measures to eliminate the threat that has arisen.

At the same time, it is stipulated that “if one of the participating states is subjected to aggression by any state or group of states, then this will be considered as aggression against all participating states” and “all other participating states will provide it with the necessary assistance, including military, and will provide support with the means at their disposal in order to exercise the right to collective defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter."

In April 1999, the Protocol on the Extension of the Collective Security Treaty was signed by six countries (except Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan). On May 14, 2002, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) was established, currently uniting Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

On October 7, 2002, the CSTO Charter was adopted in Chisinau, according to which the main goals of the Organization are to strengthen peace, international and regional security and stability, to protect on a collective basis the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the member states, in achieving which the member states give priority political means.

The Secretary General of the Organization is the highest administrative officer of the Organization and manages the Secretariat of the Organization. Appointed by the decision of the CSC from among the citizens of the Member States and is accountable to the CSC.

The advisory and executive bodies of the CSTO are: the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA), which coordinates the foreign policy activities of the CSTO member states; the Council of Defense Ministers (CMO), which ensures the interaction of member states in the field of military policy, military development and military-technical cooperation; The Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils (CSSC), which oversees national security issues.

In the period between sessions of the CSC, coordination in the implementation of the decisions of the CSTO bodies is entrusted to the Permanent Council under the Organization, which consists of authorized representatives of the member states. The CSTO Secretary General also participates in its meetings.

The permanent working bodies of the CSTO are the Secretariat and the Joint Staff of the Organization.

The CSTO carries out its activities in cooperation with various international organizations. Since December 2, 2004 the Organization has an observer status in the UN General Assembly. On March 18, 2010, a Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the UN Secretariats and the CSTO was signed in Moscow, which provides for the establishment of interaction between the two organizations, in particular, in the field of peacekeeping. Productive contacts are maintained with international organizations and structures, including the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, international organization on migration and others. The CSTO has established close cooperation with the EurAsEC (Eurasian Economic Community), the SCO ( Shanghai Organization cooperation) and the CIS.

In order to counter the entire range of challenges and threats to the security of the member states, decisions were made by the CSTO CSC on the creation of Peacekeeping Forces, coordination councils for emergency situations, the fight against illegal migration and illegal drug trafficking. Under the CSTO Ministerial Council, there is a Working Group on Afghanistan. Under the CSTO CSTO there are working groups on combating terrorism and countering illegal migration, information policy and security.

As part of military cooperation in the CSTO format, the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian Collective Security Region (CRRF CAR) have been formed. The exercises of the CRRF CAR are held on a regular basis, including with the development of anti-terrorist tasks.

In February 2009, a decision was made to create the Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) of the CSTO. Uzbekistan refrained from signing the package of documents, reserving the possibility of joining the Agreement later. Joint complex exercises are regularly held with the participation of contingents and operational groups of the CSTO member states.

Under the auspices of the CSTO, the international complex anti-drug operation "Channel" and the operation to combat illegal migration "Illegal" are annually carried out. In 2009, for the first time, joint measures were taken to counteract crimes in the information sphere under the code name Operation PROXY (Counteraction to Crime in the Information Sphere).

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources