MOSCOW, 16 May (BelTA) - The time has come to involve the CSTO in the UN peacekeeping activities, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the CSTO summit in Moscow on 16 May, BelTA has learned.
According to him, the development of the CSTO peacekeeping capabilities is an absolute priority in the short term. “We are actively working in this direction. The CSTO peacekeeping forces have been created and are improved annually; we are working on a plan to equip them with modern weapons, equipment and special means,” he said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan initiated the establishment of the institute of the secretary general's special representative for the development of peacekeeping activities. “Thus, all the necessary instruments have been formed and, in our opinion, it is necessary to set the goal to include the CSTO in the UN peacekeeping activities,” he said. “This step will strengthen the CSTO's legal standing and ensure the participation of the organization in international peacekeeping operations.”
According to the president of Kazakhstan, the CSTO has established itself as an effective mechanism for multilateral cooperation with a serious potential for further development. “With the establishment of the CSTO, a solid system of collective security was developed in the vast Eurasian space. Its main tasks are to strengthen peace and stability, international and regional security, protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of its member states,” he said.
According to him, the CSTO's power, law enforcement and peacekeeping capabilities have recently strengthened.
According to the president of Kazakhstan, the CSTO pays special attention to combating international terrorism and extremism, illicit drugs and weapons trafficking, and illegal migration. “In this vein, we attach great importance to the development of the situation in Afghanistan. The unstable situation in the country, as well as the unabated activity of armed groups on the territory of Afghanistan still threatens the security and stability of our states. I believe that the CSTO should take into account all potential threats and pay even more attention to ensuring the security of the southern borders of Central Asia,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed.
