Expert commented on challenges and threats that CSTO faces
Minsk is preparing to host the CSTO Summit, which will be held under the chairmanship of the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko. The Dean of the Journalism Faculty at the Belarusian State University, Aleksei Belyaev, explained what the CSTO heads of state are likely to focus on, and what challenges the CSTO members face now.
“We must understand that the summit is taking place in a difficult situation. Let's recall that, for example, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has refused to attend it,” the expert said in his talk with Alfa Radio. “In general, there is a certain lean – that we cannot yet call a reversal yet – in which Armenia, under the influence of the West, is trying to reconsider its participation in the unions. Of course, our President diplomatically said that this is his right, but we must understand that union obligations exist within the unions. Accordingly, when the storms of crises and wars are raging not just around us, but directly concern us, alliances must unite, and any movement needs to be careful. I would like the positions of the countries to be finally clarified at the summit. Belarus’ Head of State said that the potential of the CSTO is quite serious. It is no coincidence that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which had border conflicts (being in the same union: Collective Security Treaty Organisation), managed to resolve their issues, though the latter were quite serious and concerned territories. After all, they understand that the CSTO is the guarantor of security.”
Mr. Belyaev paid special attention to the protection from external threats, mentioning the reasons for what is happening: the West, primarily NATO, perceives the CSTO as an enemy and is increasing its military power on the organisation’s borders, Russia is engaged in the special military operation… Moreover, the contradictions observed in the Middle East cannot but affect the countries of Central Asia.
The expert explained, “It will not be possible to stay aside. It is necessary to realise that the conflict can spread and flare up very quickly. The danger is rooted not only in the war between Israel and Palestine; there are also unsettled relations with Afghanistan, while Islamist terrorist groups are scattered regardless of their state belonging. This movement can grow into a powerful force at any moment, and it is being fought on the territory of Syria and Iraq… Everyone is also concerned about the issue of security in the Asian direction: i.e. whether the United States will escalate relations with China over Taiwan. If a conflict breaks out there, it will affect virtually everyone. Therefore, in such conditions, the CSTO should not only compare positions, but have a developed strategy and tactics of actions in the conditions of the occurrence of any of these conflicts simultaneously and all at once.”
According to Mr. Belyaev, it is also necessary to raise the question of attracting new members to the CSTO. “Security is collective now. No state alone will be able to provide security for itself and guarantee it in any way,” he explained.
The expert believes Minsk well copes with the role of the presiding party in the CSTO. “Belarus is very responsible about its obligations. Our country is always happy to provide its territory as a platform for negotiations or, for example, exercises. For our part, we feel not only our obligations within this block. The Belarusian leadership and President Aleksandr Lukashenko personally understand their responsibility for the entire region,” he stressed.
