ArmInfo. The stability and strength of the CSTO is one of the attractive landmarks of the organization. The CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas stated this in an interview with RIA Novosti.
At the same time, he added that the Organization has now entered the stage of practically launching the mechanism of CSTO partners and observers. "We hope that there will be organizations and countries that will already legally act as our partners and observers. The ground is almost ready for this. We now have many friendly countries and organizations. Now we have adopted the statutory documents on the introduction of the institution of observer and CSTO partner and the process of ratification of these legislative changes by parliaments is at the final stage. All states, except Tajikistan, have completed ratification. We are waiting for this step from Tajikistan. After this, it will be possible to proceed to the next stage of work on forming belt of good neighborliness. This, incidentally, is one of the issues of the forthcoming session of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers. Consideration of further steps in the implementation of the status of the partner and the CSTO observer ", the Secretary General of the CSTO noted.
He added that the observer status at the CSTO provides for the opportunity to study the open regulatory legal framework of the organization, the experience and practice of its activities, attend meetings of the CSTO bodies, and events held in the CSTO format.
Zas emphasized that the CSTO partner is granted broader powers, including, in particular, the right to join international treaties concluded under the CSTO, to participate and speak in an advisory capacity at meetings of the organization's bodies, to directly participate in the exercises of the forces and means of the collective security system conducted by it, as well as in operations and operational preventive measures.
"At the same time, in accordance with the adopted documents, potential partner and observer states must meet the following criteria: be members of the UN, have diplomatic relations with all CSTO member states, and with regard to potential partners, plus to this not be in a state of armed conflict with other states, "said the CSTO Secretary General.
Clarifying who is the first to apply for membership in the CSTO and which country has already applied Zas expressed his conviction that the time has not come yet for applications, because the issue has not yet been ratified.
"When we finish ratification, we will already have full legal right to put this format into practice. Of course, there are inspiration and plans. I spoke about this at the meeting with the heads of state and with the foreign ministers when I visited Armenia and Belarus. We discussed this topic with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Unfortunately, trips to other countries have been canceled. But we will return to this conversation. We discussed possible partners, observers. This conversation will continue at the meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers, which will be held May 26 in the video conferencing mode, "said Zas.
Clarifying whether there are specific applicant countries that want to obtain this status, and for example, the same Uzbekistan, which was already a member of the CSTO before 2012, can become a member of it again, the Secretary General recalled that Article 19 of the CSTO Charter stipulates that "a member of the Organization may become any state that shares its goals and principles and is ready to accept the obligations contained in this Charter and other international treaties and decisions operating within the framework of the Organization may become ".
"But the expansion of the military-political bloc itself must be approached very carefully. I think this is also a prospect. But the issue is not immediate. The bloc can and should be expanded through the institute of partners and observers, which is now on the agenda.
Since the conversation specifically about Uzbekistan has begun, I will say more from myself. I am well acquainted with this beautiful country and I know what dynamic and progressive changes are taking place there. The country has a great perspective. We have good relations with all CSTO member states and have experience in our bloc. Uzbekistan fully meets the criteria that I spoke about. If there is a corresponding interest on the part of Tashkent, various options for interaction can be discussed, including taking into account the opportunities that provide the status of a CSTO partner and an observer at the CSTO, "Stanislav Zas summed up.