DECLARATION of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. It has been adopted by the results of the CSTO CSC session on December 2, 2020

Members of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, following the session of the Collective Security Council of December 2, 2020, declare the following.

Over the years of its existence, the CSTO has taken a rightful place among the authoritative international and regional organizations, and has become an effective factor in maintaining regional stability and sustainable development. The Organization is an effective multifunctional structure for the comprehensive provision of collective security and fully meets the goals of strengthening peace, international and regional security on the basis of universally recognized norms and principles of the international law.

The member states confirm their determination to consistently implement the provisions of the Collective Security Treaty, the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the fundamental documents and decisions of the Collective Security Council, which have determined the key directions for the development of the Organization, including the CSTO Collective Security Strategy for the period until 2025.

In the year of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, the member states note with concern the degradation of security mechanisms in the world, the continuing escalation of tension, including in the Eurasian space.

The CSTO will increase its participation in global efforts to ensure peace and security, consistently advocating the settlement of international and regional conflicts, primarily armed ones, exclusively by peaceful political and diplomatic means within the framework of internationally recognized dialogue frameworks, proceeding from universally recognized principles and norms of international law without electoral approach. To this end, the member states will continue the practice of holding joint consultations in order to coordinate their foreign policy positions on international and regional security problems.

In view of the global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the risks of new epidemics, in order to strengthen the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population, the CSTO member states intend to continue sharing experience in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, training specialists, improving the monitoring and response system to emergencies.

The CSTO member states welcome mutual support, rendering each other humanitarian aid and assistance in the struggle with COVID-19.

The CSTO member states emphasize the coordinating role of the World Health Organization in the prevention of sanitary and epidemiological threats and advocate increasing its potential.

Reaffirm their solidarity and support for the call of the UN Secretary General for an immediate and global ceasefire in all corners of the world in connection with the spread of a new type of coronavirus infection.

The CSTO will continue the line on deepening cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies in areas of mutual interest, including the practical involvement of the CSTO collective peacekeeping forces in UN peacekeeping operations.

The member states support the adoption of the resolution of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly "Cooperation between the UN and the CSTO".

The member states highly appreciate the results of the UN Security Council meeting held in New York under the Russian chairmanship on the topic: "The Contribution of the CSTO, the CIS and the SCO to the Fight against Terrorist Threats", as well as the holding in Vienna, chaired by the Republic of Tajikistan, of the Plenary Session of the Forum on Cooperation in the OSCE Security “Security Dialogue on the Role of the CSTO in Countering Security Challenges in the Region”.

The member states, strongly condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, aim to continue to build up collective efforts in the fight against terrorism with the central coordinating role of the UN through the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of its Security Council and the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy on the basis of the Collective Action Plan of the CSTO member states adopted on November 28, 2019, in Bishkek on the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy for 2019-2021, advocate further efforts aimed at an early completion of the work over the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism.

They note the importance and relevance of the Code of Conduct initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan to achieve a world free of terrorism, aimed at strengthening international cooperation and the UN counter-terrorism architecture. At the same time, the member states will step up efforts aimed at responding to the threats of international terrorism, including those related to the financing, training and equipping of foreign terrorist fighters for use as mercenaries in armed conflicts and their return from conflict zones to countries of nationality.

The member states express their readiness to step up joint steps to counter international terrorism, neutralize its resource base, counter the recruitment and participation of citizens in terrorist activities, note the high efficiency of the first in 2019 operational and preventive measures in the CSTO space by the name "Mercenary".

The member states in connection with the evolving situation in the Middle East note the threat of foreign terrorist fighters returning to their countries of origin. The member states will work to improve mechanisms for the exchange of information on this category of persons and their movements, and will continue to cooperate through the competent departments.

The member states support the continuation of joint work to counter extremist activities, including within the framework of the Working Group on Combating Terrorism and Extremism under the CSTO Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils.

The member states positively assess the activities of the Working Group on Afghanistan under the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers and note its cooperation with the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, the CIS Anti-Terrorist Center and the UN specialized structures.

In order to monitor the situation and timely identify threats to collective security, the member states are considering the possibility of creating the CSTO Information and Analytical Center.

The member states note the successful implementation of the CSTO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2015-2020 and the high practical significance of the adopted strategic document for the next five-year period in stopping the smuggling of Afghan drugs into the Organization's area of ​​responsibility, and combating organized drug groups.

The CSTO member states are implementing the List of Additional Measures to Reduce Tensions in the Tajik-Afghan Border Zone.

The member states, on the basis of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Information Security, which entered into force in 2019, will intensify practical interaction to jointly counter threats and challenges in the information space, including within the framework of “PROXY” operation.

Taking into account the transboundary nature of risks and threats in the field of biological safety, the demand for building up joint actions to prevent them is growing.

The member states, taking into account the development of the military-political situation, will continue to improve the potential of the assets of the collective security system, increase the readiness of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) to solve tasks for their intended purpose on the basis of the Plan for the Development of Military Cooperation of the CSTO Member States for 2021-2025 and the corresponding decisions of the Collective Security Council. At the same time, they emphasize the relevance of using the experience of the Russian Federation in the fight against terrorist groups on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The member states will continue to conduct regular joint trainings. In this context, they highly appreciate the effectiveness of the annually conducted joint trainings.

The CSTO member states intend to continue equipping the CSTO Collective Rapid Response Forces with modern weapons, military and special equipment to ensure their high combat readiness in order to effectively counter new challenges and threats.

The member states confirm that military cooperation within the framework of the CSTO is not directed against third countries and serves in the interests of guaranteeing the security of the Organization's member states and stability in the entire Eurasian space.

The member states support the development of a system of collective response of the Organization to emergency situations, confirm their readiness to participate in the efforts of the world community to prevent and eliminate them.

The CSTO will continue the course of developing cooperation with non-member states and international organizations operating in the security sector, including within the framework of granting the status of an Observer to the CSTO and a Partner of the Organization in accordance with the CSTO Charter.

The member states will continue to work to raise awareness of the Organization's activities. In this regard, we note “The CSTO Days” held in the Russian Federation in October 2020.

The member states firmly intend to contribute to the further progressive development of the Organization, to increase the level of interaction in all areas of the CSTO's activity, highly appreciate the results of the chairmanship of the Russian Federation in 2019-2020, which contributed to the strengthening of constructive and fruitful cooperation, the development of allied relations between the member states of the Organization.