Rashid Nurgaliyev: None of the accepted documents of the CSTO contains a threat to any state.At this meeting, the secretaries of the Security Council discussed the measures taken to counter international terrorism and extremism, and outlined further ways to cooperate in this direction. Decisions were approved on issues that will be subsequently made for signature by the heads of state during the autumn meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council.
CSTO Security Council Secretaries discussed the situation in Afghanistan and cyber threats
This concerns additional measures aimed at reducing tensions in the Tajik-Afghan border area, approving the procedure for preparing and conducting joint trainings in the Organization format, as well as planning collective action by states in the framework of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy for 2019-2021. The regulations of the information interaction of the CSTO Crisis Response Center and the plan for joint preparation of the governing bodies and formations of the Organization’s collective security system for 2020 were also approved.
After the meeting, Rashid Nurgaliyev, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta about what else was discussed behind closed doors in Bishkek.
- Rashid Gumarovich, the CSTO is primarily a military bloc. What countries are the CSTO member states uniting against?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: Our Organization was not created to threaten someone, but to take concerted actions in the interest of ensuring security on the basis of refusing to use force.
You can analyze all the documents adopted since the signing of the Collective Security Treaty, and make sure that none of them contain a threat to any state or bloc of states, all of them are aimed at strengthening peace and stability.
This is the difference from NATO, which positions itself as a collective defense organization, but at the same time throws all its forces at the escalation of tension, intervenes in the affairs of other countries, conducts military campaigns, imposing a change of political power in the country.
- What is the situation on the borders of the CSTO?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: The United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries, relying on NATO, continue to heighten tensions in the world, despite the generally accepted norms of international law. Unjustified accusations and distortion of the actual situation along with the expansion of economic sanctions are used by Western countries as a means of direct pressure and blackmail. In the territories of some Eastern European countries and a number of Baltic states, new NATO infrastructure facilities are being built, where control and reconnaissance points, groups of troops, stockpiles of weapons and military equipment are concentrated. Operational and combat training activities are actively taking place along the western borders of the CSTO, and the number of reconnaissance aircraft of NATO is increasing.
I would especially like to draw attention to the situation in Afghanistan. For 17 years of NATO operations in Afghanistan, the situation in this country continued to degrade only, and the number of those killed in the fighting reached 150,000. At the same time, the most serious security threat is the activity of the international terrorist organization ISIS banned in the Russian Federation, which declares itself increasingly loud in the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. According to our information, there are up to four thousand militants in the country associating themselves with the "Islamic State". ISIS regards Afghan territory as a base for the subsequent transfer of activity to the states of Central and South Asia. Illicit drug trafficking is another threat to the CSTO member states coming from Afghanistan. Afghanistan continues to confidently maintain the status of the largest producer and supplier of opiates in the world. In this regard, the CSTO is constantly improving the mechanisms for ensuring security and countering terrorist and narcotic threats. In addition, to assist Tajikistan in strengthening the Tajik-Afghan border, the CSTO member states are taking a series of measures to prepare a targeted intergovernmental CSTO program to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border sections.
- As you said, NATO continues to increase its presence at the borders of Russia and its closest allies. How will the Collective Security Treaty Organization react to this? Is there a possibility of cooperation between the CSTO and NATO?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: The CSTO member states are ready for fruitful cooperation with the NATO bloc. We have something to discuss. This is the level of terrorist threat, and issues of illegal migration, the fight against terrorism.
This year, on May 22, the foreign ministers of our countries signed an open appeal to the foreign ministers of the NATO member states on strengthening mutual trust and developing cooperation. As for Russia, I would like to note that in our globalized and closely interconnected world, we would be interested in resuming the dialogue Russia with NATO. But for us this is possible only on an equal basis.
At the same time, no matter how developed the relationship with the North Atlantic alliance, it must be remembered that the contradictions with NATO are of a fundamental nature. It is not a secret for us that NATO members are preparing the conditions for bringing to power in certain CSTO countries regimes controlled by the West, including through provoking “color revolutions”.
I want to emphasize that the cooperation of third countries with NATO always has an anti-Russian component. This has been confirmed many times by practice. In relation to the CSTO partners, the goal of the bloc is to sow discord with our allies in the Organization.
- In this connection, I would like to know how close are the positions on various issues on the international agenda and approaches to ensuring regional security from the CSTO member states?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: Our countries are not only strategic partners and allies. Historically, they have close political, military-strategic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties. It is difficult to find a sphere, wherever our interaction develops. And, last but not least, practically in each of them there is a place for using the possibilities of the Security Councils of our countries. New realities in the international arena require effective cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism, illicit arms and drugs trafficking, and cybercrime.
In Moscow, the improvement of the structure of the CSTO was discussed
The approaches of our countries to ensuring regional security are one. We take concerted and tailored decisions to counter the challenges and threats to regional stability and security. In accordance with the CSTO Charter, a mechanism of regular political consultations is functioning, during which the situation in the CSTO area of responsibility is discussed, common positions are being developed and joint approaches are being sought to solve actual problems on the international agenda. The CSTO crisis response system is complemented by a political mechanism for monitoring and preventing possible conflicts. The CSTO has a significant role in maintaining national and regional security. We all understand that only together we will be able to confront global and regional challenges and threats.
- What principles in foreign policy do the states of the Organization stand by?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: The CSTO Charter states that the Organization is guided by the following principles: priority of political means over the military, strict respect for independence, voluntary participation, equality of rights and obligations of member states. Our countries reaffirm their commitment to strengthening peace, global and regional security and stability based on the norms of international law. The CSTO states consider it necessary to continue efforts to form a new architecture of Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security, equal and indivisible for all states, through securing this principle in the international legal form.
- How is the training of military personnel for the CSTO states?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: More than 2500 servicemen of the CSTO member states study at 30 higher military educational institutions and their branches and 5 training centers of the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Training is carried out on quotas of free training. Applications of the CSTO member states for the admission of their military personnel for training are considered as a matter of priority and are fully satisfied. The training is carried out by the most experienced and well-trained faculty on a modern teaching and material basis, using military equipment samples that are in service and supplied to the CSTO member states. I believe that the process of training military personnel for the CSTO states corresponds to the modern level and is conducted intensively and efficiently. In addition, within the framework of the CSTO, joint trainings are held aimed at increasing the level of combat training.
- A considerable threat is the illegal distribution of drugs in our countries. What joint actions took place in 2018 and are planned for the near future?
Rashid Nurgaliyev: In the framework of the implementation of the Anti-Drug Strategy of the CSTO member states approved by the CSTO Collective Security Council for the period 2015-2020, regional anti-drug operations under the general name "Channel" ("Kanal") are conducted.
As a result of only one of the stages of the operation in May-June 2018, over 5.5 tons of narcotic drugs, psychotropic and potent substances were withdrawn from illicit trafficking. 1207 drug crimes were detected, 2906 persons were detained for committing crimes related to drug trafficking. In addition, more than 70 firearms and about 2 thousand ammunition were seized. As part of the operation "Channel - Red Barkhan" ("Kanal - Krasnyi Barhan"), more than 11 tons of drugs were withdrawn from trafficking. Thus, this issue is in the zone of constant attention of the CSTO.
