MOSCOW, 4 July (BelTA) – The Collective Security Treaty Organization does not intend to take on new members but is planning to designate the status for observer or partner nations soon, Acting Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Valery Semerikov said at a press conference in Moscow, BelTA has learned.
“Our legal framework allows third countries to join the CSTO. This is envisaged in the Charter, in the Collective Security Treaty. We are not hatching any expansion plans. It is the good will of any state. Any country is welcome to join if it supports the goals and challenges facing the organization, complies with the requirements which are enshrined, among other things, in international laws. Of course, we hope our ranks will expand as we adopt the documents that will legislate partner and observer statuses,” Valery Semerikov noted.
Valery Semerikov recalled that the decision to designate the status for observer or partner nations was adopted by the heads of state at a session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in November 2018. CSTO countries are now undergoing the appropriate procedures to ratify the document.
Valery Semerikov also explained that the CSTO partner is a state or an international organization that shares the goals and principles of the CSTO, wishes to establish and develop relations of mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of common interest and undertakes commitments to participate in practical activities of the CSTO. The CSTO observer is a state or an international organization interested in studying an open-access regulatory framework, experience and practices of the CSTO activities without undertaking commitments to participate in practical activities of the organization.
Valery Semerikov also added that there is a list of requirements partners and observers must comply with. In particular, all candidates must be UN members, should not have conflicts on their territories.
