PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE CSTO ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL VALERY SEMERIKOV

On July 4, 2019, the Multimedia Press Conference of the Acting Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Valery Semerikov "On the results of meetings of the CSTO statutory bodies held in Bishkek and on the results of special operations conducted in the format of the Organization" (with video connection of press centers in Yerevan, Minsk, Nur-Sultan and Bishkek) was held at the Russia-Today International Press Center.

On October 30, the CSTO and the OSCE will hold a security conference in Moscow.

July 4 - RIA Novosti news agency. The joint conference of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and OSCE conference will be held on October 30, 2019 in Moscow, representatives of the European Union and NATO can be invited to participate, the CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov told RIA Novosti news agency.

"I had recently met with the OSCE Secretary General, he participated in the work of the Permanent Council, then we met separately, discussed comprehensive issues, including the holding of the joint conference that we would hold in Moscow on October 30. We are now connecting the UN to this conference, the counter-terrorism security office,” informed Semerikov.

He added that the OSCE suggests that representatives of the EU, NATO, public and political organizations should be invited to the conference.

The CSTO hopes to receive a response from NATO to the call for a consultation mechanism creation

July 4 - RIA Novosti news agency. The Collective Security Treaty Organization expects to receive a response from NATO to the organization’s proposal to create a mechanism for regular consultations, the CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov told RIA Novosti news agency.

In May the Foreign Ministers of the CSTO countries called the NATO Foreign Ministers for the creation of a mechanism for regular consultations between the secretariats of the two organizations.

Semerikov explained that the issue of bringing the appeal to the leadership of NATO has the “procedural” nature.

"It was the instruction for the presiding country, and the Kyrgyz Republic is presiding, to bring the appeal to the leadership of the North Atlantic Alliance. Accordingly, now the procedure is underway, but we hope for some answer," he said.

Semerikov added that the appeal was generally aimed at building trust between the two alliances and the work in this direction in the CSTO has been going on since 2004. “But, unfortunately, today we have what we have,” he said.

The CSTO cooperates with the USA in the fight against drugs – The CSTO Acting Secretary General

July 4. INTERFAX - The Collective Security Treaty Organization cooperates with the USA and China in the fight against drug trafficking, the CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said at the press conference in Moscow on Thursday.

According to him, “the representatives of third countries, including the USA and China, take part as observers” in the CSTO anti-drug operation "Channel" ("Kanal").

Semerikov noted that during only one phase of the operation this year, 11 tons of drugs were confiscated.

The number of the "Taliban" has reached 60 thousand people - The CSTO Acting Secretary General

July 4. INTERFAX - The number of the “Taliban” movement (not allowed in the Russian Federation), according to the latest estimates, is 60 thousand people, informed the CSTO Acting Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Valery Semerikov.

"The last figure I received from the official sources is 60 thousand people joined the “Taliban” movement," Semerikov said at the press conference in Moscow.

The “Taliban” currently controls a substantial part of Afghanistan. In addition to it, the country also has a terrorist organization ISIS (not allowed in the Russian Federation). As reported in February of this year Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolay Patrushev, the number of ISIS in Afghanistan is four thousand people.

According to Patrushev, the official government of Afghanistan controls less than 40% of the country's territory.

The CSTO in 2019 will involve 12 thousand people in six trainings - The CSTO Acting Secretary General

July 4. INTERFAX - The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will hold six trainings in 2019, said the Acting Secretary General of the organization Valery Semerikov.

"In 2019 we will hold six different trainings," Semerikov said at the press conference in Moscow on Thursday.

"According to our calculations, the total number of forces involved in the CSTO trainings will be about 12 thousand people," he added.

The CSTO said they did not receive a response from NATO to the proposal to begin consultations

July 4./TASS/ - NATO has not yet responded to the appeal of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) adopted as a result of the May meeting in Bishkek, to establish a mechanism for regular security consultations between the secretariats of the organizations. The CSTO Secretary General Valery Semerikov informed TASS of it on Thursday.

"We have not received any response so far," he said.

The CSTO clarified procedure for appointing a new Secretary General

“Russian Newspaper”, July 4, 2019 - The decision to appoint Stanislav Zas, the representative of Belarus, on January 1, 2020, to the post of Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will be made individually by the heads of the states. This became known on July 4 at the press conference in Moscow, which was held by the Acting Secretary General of this international structure Valery Semerikov.

The General recalled that at the meeting of the CSTO Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on May 22 in Bishkek, the leaders of the sectoral departments signed the decision that endorsed the candidature of 56-year-old Stanislav Zas to be appointed Secretary General of the CSTO. “The corresponding draft decision of the Collective Security Council of the CSTO has been sent to the heads of states for consideration and signing individually”, Valeriy Semerikov summarized.

The number of participants in the “Taliban” is named

Izvestiya, July 4, 2019 - The Acting Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Valery Semerikov informed on Thursday, July 4, that the radical “Taliban” movement (not allowed in Russia) is growing and currently has 60 thousand people.

“Regarding the “Taliban”, it is growing. The last figure I received from official sources is 60 thousand people are included in the “Taliban” movement. This is a very serious figure ”, he said.

According to the CSTO Secretary General, the conditions set by representatives of the movement in negotiations with the USA and Russia do not indicate their interest in resolving the situation in Afghanistan.

On June 6 it became known that Russia does not plan to exclude the “Taliban” from the list of prohibited organizations in the near future. At the same time, Moscow considers it is necessary to intensify the negotiation process between the authorities in Kabul and representatives of the “Taliban”.

CSTO awaits NATO’s response to call for cooperation

July 4 - Sputnik. The Collective Security Treaty Organization expects to receive a response from NATO to the proposal to create a mechanism for regular consultations between the secretariats of the two organizations, said the Acting Secretary General of the CSTO Valery Semerikov.

Earlier, representatives of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CSTO countries called on the heads of Foreign Ministries of NATO countries to create a common mechanism for regular consultations between the secretariats of the two organizations.

Valery Semerikov explained that at present the issue of bringing the appeal to NATO representatives has a “procedural” nature.

"It was the instruction for the presiding country, and the Kyrgyz Republic is chairing, to bring the appeal to the leadership of the North Atlantic Alliance. Accordingly, the procedure is underway now, but we hope for some answer," Valery Semerikov told at the press conference in Moscow, which held a video connection Centers in Nur-Sultan, Bishkek, Yerevan and Minsk.

The CSTO Secretary General explained that the call for joint cooperation was aimed at building trust between the two blocs and the work in this direction in the CSTO has been going on since 2004.

Semerikov: The fact that NATO does not cooperate with the organization alarms the CSTO

July 4 — Sputnik. NATO’s reluctance to work with the CSTO and, instead of it, cooperation with each of the countries of the organization separately, is alarming, said Valery Semerikov, the CSTO Acting Secretary General, during the press conference at the Sputnik multimedia press center Belarus. Recently it became known that NATO may be preparing "color revolutions" in some CSTO countries.

"Apparently, this information is from an interview with the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Rashid Nurgaliyev. I generally have to say that I watched this interview very carefully and I can say that I consider it very competent and objective, balanced, verified, but most importantly — based on a very serious analysis of the processes that are currently occurring on the territory of our states ," - said Valery Semerikov.

According to him, back in 2004, the heads of states at their session took the appropriate decision to organize close cooperation with the NATO alliance on countering challenges and threats, and more active joint work in this direction.

"Since 2004, we have repeatedly at various levels raised a question on the implementation of this decision, but also on the organization of joint work. So far, we have not received any formal response to our proposals, although from some NATO officials we have heard such statements about that we will have to work separately with each of our states. They will not have affairs with the bloc or with our organizations, but will work separately with each of our states. What they actually do. Both the United States of America, and the European Union have been working in our countries in various areas, including issues of military cooperation ," - said the CSTO Acting Secretary General.

The speaker added that NATO had 7 cooperation programs, in which representatives of third countries were being dragged out. In one of them, which was called "For the sake of peace," all the CSTO countries participate, and "this is normal and understandable."

"But the reluctance to work is alarming. I can just tell by the report of one military leader who reported to the congress last year on the status of affairs, interaction with the states-members of the Central Asian region," he said.

"It seems to me that they would not mind using such a technique that they have repeatedly applied to other states. But they only forget about one thing: our states that belong to organizations are not Syria, Lebanon, Iran. We are united by a collective agreement security with all the ensuing consequences ," - concluded Semerikov.

Connecting link: Semerikov told about the objectives of the CSTO Crisis Response Center

July 4 - Sputnik - The Crisis Response Center established within the Collective Security Treaty Organization serves as the main connecting link in the overall crisis response system. About this the CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said on Thursday during a video link with a connection from the multimedia press center Sputnik Armenia.

The center has been created recently. It became an important milestone in terms of improving the efficiency of the organization.

"The CSTO Crisis Response Center deals with the monitoring of the military-political situation in the area of state responsibility, identifying the prerequisites of crisis situations and analyzing the relevant situation," Semerikov said, answering the question of Sputnik Armenia.

According to him, the functions of the Center include information and analytical support for the activities of competent structures.

Semerikov said that the Center can significantly reduce the time required for rapid response to emergencies, which was tested during a recent business game. The technical equipment of the center allows you to conduct consultations, negotiations, training in the closed mode.

The CSTO is concerned about the Caucasus: the Karabakh conflict and the NATO development of Georgia

July 4, EurasDaily - Now there are no plans to expand the Security Treaty Collective Organization. However, the institutes of partnership and observation will soon appear in the CSTO, the Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said at the press conference in Moscow today, July 4.

The military-political situation in the world and in the area of responsibility of the CSTO has a significant impact on the decisions taken in it, the administrative head of the bloc said. According to him, the focus of the countries participating in the organization today are issues of world and regional security, the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on Central Asia.

"In the Caucasus, tensions remain over the unresolved Karabakh conflict, as well as due to the process of the military development of NATO’s territory in Georgia," Semerikov noted.

The CSTO is also concerned about the frequency of NATO military trainings in Eastern Europe, near the borders of Russia and Belarus.

According to the CSTO Acting Secretary General, during the May meetings of the Council of Ministers of Defense of the member states of the organization in Bishkek, decisions were made aimed at neutralizing the current threats and challenges.

There are no plans to expand the CSTO, but soon the organization will have partners and observers – Semerikov

July 4, BELTA - Now there are no plans to expand the Collective Security Treaty Organization, but institutes of partnership and observation will appear in the CSTO soon. The CSTO Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov told it today at the press conference in Moscow.

"Our legal normative documents presuppose the entry of third countries into the CSTO, this is provided for by the charter, by the Collective Security Treaty," said Valery Semerikov. We are not building any plans for entering, it is the goodwill of each state if it wishes to enter (in the CSTO - BELTA's note) and supports the goals and objectives of the organization, meets the requirements that are defined, including international law. Of course, we hope to expand our ranks with the adoption of documents that will allow organizations to have partners and observers at the CSTO."

Valery Semerikov reminded that the decision to establish institutes of partnership and observation in the CSTO was taken by the heads of state of the organization at the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in November 2018. Now in the CSTO countries the relevant procedures to ratify the document are undergoing.

Semerikov: Tension remains in the Caucasus due to the unresolved Karabakh issue

ArmInfo, July 4 - Due to the unresolved Karabakh issue, the situation in the Caucasus remains tense. The Acting Secretary General Valery Semerikov said this during the Moscow-Yerevan-Nur-Sultan-Minsk-Bishkek teleconference, while expressing concern about Georgia’s possible integration into NATO.

“I don’t recall a single ministerial meeting where the Karabakh issue would not be discussed. I can say that several statements were made around the Karabakh problem, both at the level of the Collective Security Council, and at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Almost every year, in parallel with the development of events, relevant statements are made ”, said Semerikov. Speaking about the appointment of Stanislav Zas the CSTO Secretary General, Semerikov said that this decision would be made by the heads of states individually.

“The relevant draft decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council was sent to the heads of state to examine and sign individually”, he explained.

Referring to the military-political situation in the world and in the area of responsibility of the CSTO, Semerikov believes that all these challenges have a significant impact on the decisions made in the structure.

Semerikov said that coordination of foreign policy activities of the participating countries is an important aspect of the structure activities.

The CSTO Acting Secretary General: The CSTO adopted several statements on the issue of the Karabakh settlement

News.am, 04.07.2019 - I don’t recall a single meeting of the Council of Ministers of the CSTO member countries where the issue of the Karabakh settlement is not discussed. On July 4, the Acting Secretary General of the CSTO, Colonel-General Valery Semerikov, said in an interview with the Armenian journalists about what measures are being taken by the CSTO to prevent threats and challenges, during a video link Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan-Bishkek which are and can occur within the Karabakh problem.

According to him, today several statements have been made on this issue, both at the level of the Collective Security Council, and at the level of foreign ministers.

“Almost every year, on the basis of the evolving situation, a corresponding statement is made on this issue”, said Semerikov.

The CSTO Acting Secretary General: Baku has not submitted any applications for joining the CSTO

News.am, 04.07.2019 - Azerbaijan has not submitted any official applications for membership in the CSTO, and there are no such applications to date in the organization. On July 4, the CSTO Acting Secretary General Colonel-General Valery Semerikov said this during a video link Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan-Bishkek, answering a question from Armenian journalists.

At the same time, he noted that in the absence of the relevant application, no discussions were held on this topic in the organization either.

Semerikov did not rule out that this could have been an information dump, which, apparently, could pursue some specific goals, but reassured again that Baku did not make such requests to them, recalling that the organization he headed had the Charter and requirements for those who wish to replenish its ranks, and all this must be met.

Note that in the Azerbaijan press, information was spread that Baku allegedly intended to join the CSTO, adding to the number of member countries of the organization. In Armenia, such rumors caused concern among the public and some political circles, who felt that Azerbaijan was thus trying to increase pressure on Yerevan over concessions on the Karabakh settlement issue.

The Organization’s Acting Secretary General: CSTO supports the idea of holding a meeting with the heads of NATO, the UN, the OSCE, and the SCO

News.am, 04.07.2019 - The Collective Security Treaty Organization supports the idea of President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to hold a meeting with the heads of NATO, the UN, the OSCE, and the SCO. The CSTO Acting Secretary General, Colonel-General Valery Semerikov, said about it during the Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan-Bishkek video link on July 4.

According to Semerikov, this is a very good proposal.

“Secondly, we are already halfway through the solution of this issue, because we held ten meetings at the level of general secretaries, chairmen of the executive councils of the CSTO, the SCO and the CIS. At our level of three regional organizations, we are discussing comprehensive issues ”, he said.

According to the CSTO Acting Secretary General, the CSTO, the SCO, and the CIS have already been in contact with representatives of the OSCE and the UN.

“In principle, we already have some groundwork, and this idea is already underway” , said Semerikov.

The CSTO Acting Secretary General: Servicemen of the CSTO member countries will take part in the parade to celebrate the victory in the Great Patriotic War

News.am, 04.07.2019 - The CSTO Ministers of Defense of the CSTO member countries decided on the participation of contingents and military personnel of the CSTO member countries in a military parade dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. On this July 4, the CSTO Acting Secretary General Colonel-General Valery Semerikov, said during the Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan-Bishkek video link.

Semerikov also said that during the meeting, the ministers of defense also discussed several topical issues, including joint resistance and the fight against illicit drug trafficking and trafficking, as well as countering international terrorism.