MOSCOW, 19 May (BelTA) - The CSTO foreign ministers adopted a statement "On the Strengthening of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC)", CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas told the media following a meeting of the CSTO Foreign Ministers' Council in Dushanbe on 19 May, CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov told BelTA.
According to Stanislav Zas, the CSTO foreign ministers see the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling 0f Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons (BTWC) as a pillar of the international security architecture. "The foreign ministers emphasized the need to comply and strengthen the BTWC, including by adopting a legally binding protocol to the convention, which would provide an effective mechanism for verifying compliance with the BTWC," Stanislav Zas said. “The document states that the rapid development of science and technology in areas related to the BTWC requires increased attention from the states parties to the convention. The foreign ministers therefore express their support for initiatives submitted in this regard, in particular to establish a scientific advisory committee at the BTWC to analyze scientific and technological advances relevant to the convention and to provide recommendations to states parties and also to set up mobile biomedical units to assist in the investigation of biological weapons use cases and help with the fight against epidemics of various origins."
The document also notes that the CSTO member states consider it unacceptable to create international mechanisms that duplicate the functions of the BTWC and act bypassing the UN Security Council.
The CSTO foreign ministers also adopted a statement "On the cooperation of the CSTO with states and international organizations. “In this statement, the CSTO member states express their interest in the development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations with third countries and international organizations in maintaining peace and stability in the Eurasian region, and also confirm their willingness to build such cooperation on the basis of universally recognized norms and principles of international law, non-confrontation, resolution of global problems exclusively by political and diplomatic means in accordance with the provisions and objectives of the UN Charter. It is obvious that we can counteract traditional and new challenges and threats effectively only by consolidating international efforts,” Stanislav Zas said.
The secretary general stated that the regulations establishing the CSTO Partner and Observer status entered into force on 9 January 2021. “This gives interested states and international organizations, that share the goals and principles of the CSTO and that wish to establish and develop contacts with the CSTO, the necessary legal framework to launch the cooperation with the CSTO in a mutually acceptable format. In this regard, the organization's member states suggest taking advantage of the new opportunities,” he said.
The participants of the meeting also adopted a statement on the extension of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States on the on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. “The statement says that the treaty extension contributes to maintaining transparency and predictability in relations between the two major nuclear powers, strengthening international security and restoring confidence, and also creates conditions for comprehensive negotiations on future arms control with mandatory consideration of all factors affecting the situation in this area. The CSTO member states consider the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms of 8 April 2010 as an extremely important element of modern arms control architecture and international security and stability,” Stanislav Zas said.
In addition, the ministers of foreign affairs of the CSTO countries adopted a statement “On the 75th anniversary of the verdicts of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg”.
