The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, participated in an expanded-format session of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) held in Minsk. The summit, presided over by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, was attended by other heads of CSTO member states, including Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan.
President Tokayev acknowledged the meticulous preparation of the session and extended gratitude to Belarus for hosting the event. He emphasized that Kazakhstan is ready to take on the chairmanship of the CSTO starting from January 1, 2024, and outlined key priority areas to enhance the collective security system during its tenure.
One major proposal highlighted by Tokayev was the need for expanded cooperation between the CSTO and interested countries and international organizations in the realm of security. The president suggested maintaining and deepening interactions with the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Specific measures were outlined in "Practical measures to strengthen cooperation of the CSTO with the CIS and the SCO."
The second critical area of focus was military cooperation. President Tokayev stressed the necessity of refining the regulatory framework for the swift deployment of the CSTO Collective Forces, emphasizing unhindered transit, military aviation, and continuous improvement of the military-scientific potential of member states. A particular emphasis was placed on unlocking the peacekeeping potential of the Organization.
In his address, the Kazakh leader underlined the importance of combating international terrorism and extremism. He proposed intensified efforts to prevent the departure of citizens to join terrorist groups and advocated for the utilization of mechanisms for searching, detaining, and extraditing individuals involved in terrorism and extremism. The Working Group of Experts on Combating Terrorism and Extremism under the Committee of Secretaries of the CSTO Security Councils was identified as a crucial component in this effort.
Addressing the challenges of illicit drug trafficking, President Tokayev called for increased joint measures to protect CSTO space. The president proposed that the Coordination Council of Heads of Competent Authorities for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking play a decisive role in this regard.
The Kazakh leader also underscored the need to combat illicit arms trafficking and organized transnational crime and deepen cooperation in preventing and addressing the consequences of emergency situations. Additionally, he highlighted the dynamic nature of cyber threats and stressed the importance of adapting tools, such as the CSTO operation "PROXY," to combat crimes in the field of information technology.
President Tokayev expressed confidence that the identified priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship would be communicated to CSTO member states promptly. He concluded by expressing optimism that the joint efforts of member states would contribute to strengthening and further developing the collective security system.
Following the session, a series of documents were adopted, marking a significant step forward in the collective security initiatives of the CSTO.
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