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President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon chaired the meeting in Dushanbe that was also attended by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation Stanislav Zas.

At the end of the session, the participants approved a package of documents, including the Declaration of the CSTO Collective Security Council, as well as agreements on the jurisdiction of cases linked with the temporary deployment of the collective security system’s forces and resources on the territories of CSTO member states, the relevant legal assistance in such cases and joint logistics and medical support for the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces). They also adopted decisions on equipping the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces with modern weapons, military and special-purpose systems and equipment, as well as those regarding the Organisation’s secure multi-service communications network.

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President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon: Colleagues,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the capital of Tajikistan.

Allow me to declare the session of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation open.

This is the concluding session in a series of events held by the CSTO’s statutory bodies within the framework of Tajikistan’s chairmanship.

I would like to note that Tajikistan’s CSTO Chairmanship coincided with a period of outstanding challenges and threats in our collective security region. Nevertheless, our country, supported by its CSTO partners, consistently fulfilled its functions as the organisation’s chair in accordance with its declared priorities.

I would like to use this occasion to express gratitude to the CSTO member states for our joint efforts to fulfil our coordinated plan of events aimed at implementing the decisions adopted at the Collective Security Council’s sessions and attaining the priorities proposed by the Republic of Tajikistan.

When summing up the results of our joint efforts, I would like to point out, first of all, that we have kept up the high standards of our political interaction and ensured the coordination of our foreign policy positions.

Second, we carried on the practice of adopting joint statements on current international and regional topics.

Third, we have expanded our interparliamentary cooperation. In July of this year, Dushanbe hosted a successful onsite session of the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly.

Fourth, we have completed a plan of supplies to the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force. It is a very important achievement. A relevant decision concerning it will be adopted today.

Fifth, we maintain a high level of the collective security forces’ readiness to fulfil their tasks. This is extremely important in light of tensions in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Sixth, we have expanded our contacts with international organisations. The CSTO was broadly represented on international platforms.

And lastly, we have soared to new heights in developing the CSTO’s peacekeeping potential.

It is obvious that all of these mutual achievements will facilitate the further strengthening of the CSTO’s potential. It is also clear that the CSTO Secretariat had a great role to play in this. I would like to express gratitude to the Secretary General and all other officials for ensuring the organisation’s comprehensive operation in the current complicated circumstances.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Rahmon, friends,

First of all, I would like to join my colleagues in thanking the President of Tajikistan and all our Tajik friends for their active work during their chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and also for preparing today’s meeting.

As you know, unfortunately, I was forced to call off my visit to Dushanbe at the last moment, and I regret this very much. This is linked, as you know, with the fact that several dozen people in my inner circle, and not just one or two, were diagnosed with COVID-19. And now, I will have to self-isolate for several days.

Unfortunately, I am unable to shake your hands and to hug you all, but, of course, we are interested in taking part and discussing, albeit online, the key tasks facing our Organisation.

As has already been noted, the situation in the CSTO’s zone of responsibility and on the external borders of its member states remains unstable and spells new and truly acute challenges and risks for the security of our countries.

Immediately following the hasty withdrawal (to put it mildly) of US forces and those of their allies from Afghanistan, we met for an extraordinary CSTO summit and exchanged opinions on the dangers linked with the drastically changed situation in that country. At the time, everyone supported the conclusion that, in the current conditions, it was more necessary than ever to ensure the closest possible coordination of CSTO member states and their cohesion. We also agreed that it was essential to be ready at any time to make full use of the CSTO’s defensive and political potential in order to ensure security and maintain peace and stability in our countries.

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