CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov in Moscow held talks with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greming, who first visited the CSTO Secretariat and spoke at a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization

November 2 this year. A meeting was held with the CSTO Secretary General, Yuri Khachaturov, with the OSCE Secretary General, Thomas Greming, who first visited the CSTO Secretariat and spoke at a meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council. It was attended by plenipotentiaries of the CSTO member states, as well as the leadership of the Secretariat.

     Yuri Khachaturov, welcoming Thomas Greming at the meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council, noted the ongoing development of cooperation between the CSTO and the OSCE. “Our cooperation is an important and effective means of strengthening regional and international security and stability, preventing conflicts and resolving them throughout the Eurasian region, and counteracting new challenges and threats,” said the CSTO Secretary General. He stressed that the CSTO and the OSCE maintain dynamic contacts on a wide range of topical issues of the modern world. CSTO, both represented by foreign ministers and permanent representatives to the OSCE, “Our Organization has repeatedly reaffirmed its support for the OSCE background documents and practical actions to combat transnational threats, primarily such as terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, corruption , money laundering, crimes with the use of information and communication technologies and other types of transnational organized crime, ”said Yuri Khachaturov.

       He noted that both the CSTO and the OSCE are experiencing the most serious concern over the events in the Eurasian space. “Our cooperation is demanded by the development of the situation in these regions, dangerous trends and real, large-scale threats, to counter and overcome which requires joint efforts of our states and regional organizations. The CSTO is ready for new forms of interfacing with the OSCE, continuing constructive dialogue and interaction between our organizations on stopping threats, including terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal migration, ”concluded the CSTO Secretary General.

     The OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greming, speaking at a meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council, said that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe intends to develop cooperation with the Collective Security Treaty Organization in the fight against terrorism and extremism. "Our anti-terrorism unit is ready to step up cooperation with the CSTO in preventing and combating terrorism and extremism," he said. "I also support the participation of CSTO experts in OSCE activities related to border security," added Thomas Greminger.

       According to him, the OSCE and the CSTO could also productively cooperate in the field of cyber security, the fight against drug trafficking and on police reforms. As T.Greminger emphasized, the development of partnership with regional organizations, including the CSTO, is one of its main priorities as secretary general of the organization. He recalled that all the CSTO member states are also members of the OSCE. “I urge the CSTO to continue to participate in relevant OSCE activities, we are already conducting a regular exchange of information and provide mutual support in conducting exercises and activities in the field,” said the OSCE  Secretary General.

     Thomas Greming said that the interaction between the two organizations has intensified significantly in recent years. He is confident that the cooperation of the CSTO and the OSCE can improve stability and security in the space of the member states of these two organizations.

   At the meeting of the Permanent Council, plenipotentiaries of the CSTO member states noted the positive role of the OSCE in ensuring security in the Eurasian space. In particular, they talked about the work of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, where they are trained personnel for border services and law enforcement agencies and the border college in Dushanbe.

      Following the bilateral meeting, the CSTO Secretary General noted that there was an exchange of views on the situation in the area of ​​responsibility of the CSTO and the OSCE. This year, the meeting of the heads of the administrative and executive bodies of the CSTO and the OSCE is already the third - the first was held during a visit to Moscow in April by OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zaniera at that time, the second by Yury Khachaturov and Thomas Greming - in September on the margins 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. This fact, in itself, underlines the significance of the interaction of the two Organizations.
     An exchange of views was held on the situation in the zone of responsibility of the CSTO and the OSCE. The parties noted the coincidence of positions on the discussed issues related to the regional situation, and the preservation of threats emanating from international terrorism and organized cross-border crime, drug trafficking, arms and people trafficking, illegal migration..

     Yuri Khachaturov informed the Organization on the further improvement of the existing mechanisms for ensuring the collective security of member states. In this context, he informed the OSCE Secretary General about the further improvement by the Organization of the existing mechanisms for ensuring the collective security of the member states. He singled out as central to the CSTO in October of this year. The event is the successful holding in the territory of Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan of the joint operational-strategic exercises of the CSTO "Combat Brotherhood 2017".

    The CSTO Secretary General also described preparations for the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting in late November, at which, he expects, the CSTO’s line on developing cooperation with international organizations, including the OSCE, will receive new approval from the heads of the Organization’s member states.

      For his part, Thomas Greming told Yuri Khachaturov about the current OSCE activities to maintain stability and security in the Eurasian space. At the same time, Thomas Greming emphasized the possibility of further escalation of tension, and, as applied to the situation in Ukraine, there was no alternative to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
    Ways of enhancing the interaction of the Organizations were discussed and outlined, primarily in the area of ​​countering new threats and challenges. The OSCE Secretary General also highlighted the importance of establishing co-operation in preventing and resolving crisis situations.

   We agreed to continue regular contacts, the closest opportunity for which is presented by the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna (December 7-8, this year).