Opinion: CSTO effectively protects its members from external threats

MINSK, 16 May (BelTA) – The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) effectively protects its members from external threats, national security expert Aleksandr Tishchenko told BelTA.

According to him, the organization effectively shields its members from ‘color revolutions' exported by the collective West led by the United States. “The organization's area of focus is regional security. And it has recently begun to transform from a regional organization into an international player. The CSTO is beginning to respond to new types of threats,” he said.

The expert drew attention to the fact that the events in Kazakhstan showed how effectively the organization can operate.

“Some believe that the CSTO is not a counterbalance to NATO, nevertheless, each member of the organization understands that it is NATO that poses the most obvious and specific threat to the region, including members of the organization. I believe that the CSTO will welcome new members and expand its agenda beyond the region,” Aleksandr Tishchenko added.

He is confident that the military alliance between Belarus and Russia, as well as the active participation of Minsk in the CSTO, are key factors in ensuring long-term security. “Military cooperation and security partnership between Belarus and Russia are at the heart of the CSTO. This is the cornerstone. And this is an example to follow when it comes to cooperation and response to common threats. It is the Union State that is the guarantor of security in the western flank,” the expert noted.

A reminder, the Collective Security Treaty was signed in Uzbekistan on 15 May 1992. In 2002, the Collective Security Treaty received the status of an international regional organization (Collective Security Treaty Organization or CSTO). Since 2004, about 50 joint exercises have been held on the territory of the CSTO member states.