Statement by President Serzh Sargsyan on priorities of Armenia’s CSTO chairmanship

In his statement at the enlarged session of the CSTO Collective Security Council held today in Dushanbe, President Serzh Sargsyan also presented the priorities of Armenia’s CSTO chairmanship.

“Dear colleagues,

Following established practice, I would like to draw your attention to the priorities of the Republic of Armenia in our organization for the upcoming year.

The priorities have been developed based on the principles of allied collaboration and succession to ensure the further development of the organization.

More than two decades have passed since the conclusion of the Collective Security Treaty. It was an important period for the establishment, development and improvement of the organization. We should continue to work in a systematic manner, having a clear mid-term development guideline in front of us. Hence, I suggest that in the upcoming period we adopt the completion of the “CSTO Collective Security Strategy for the Period till 2025” as one of the first priorities.

We attach importance to the coordination and improvement of the CSTO member states’ foreign policy positions on issues of international and regional security.

Our actions should be driven by the necessity to take into account the allied obligations and our colleagues’ opinions, as well as by the necessity to jointly counteract the initiatives contradicting the interests of one or a few CSTO member states.

Another relevant issue to address is to promote practical collaboration with the UN, the OSCE, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and with other organizations. Such cooperation contributes to the increase of the organization’s international reputation. Among successful examples I would note that the delegation of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations will observe the active stage of the military exercises Indestructible Brotherhood-2015 to be held in Armenia in late September and in early October this year.

We are going to pay special attention to the issues related to the development of the CSTO defense component. In that context, I would like to highlight such issues as:

The further improvement of the management system of the CSTO collective security forces and resources, including the collective rapid response forces and the united regional forces;

the increase of operability of making and fulfilling decisions related to their implementation;

the organization of joint events for operative and combat readiness, including the Cobalt-2016 operative-tactical military exercises.

Of great importance is also our joint work aimed at the development of the CSTO crisis response system.

During its CSTO chairmanship, Armenia will pay close attention to the organization’s peacekeeping component. Since the moment of the formation of the CSTO peacekeeping forces, military exercises conducted by the peacekeeping contingent undoubtedly marked a significant stage in their success. The time has come to establish a base organization for training CSTO peacekeepers. As a foundation of that base organization, we recommend considering the Peacekeeping Training Center of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. We are ready to share our more than decennial experience of participating in different operations.

It is also necessary to jointly develop algorithms aimed at deepening military-technical and military-economic cooperation between the CSTO member states, particularly by founding joint enterprises in the area of the military-industrial complex. Of primary importance is ensuring the security of the CSTO logistics infrastructure, including through the implementation of the 2003 agreement on the establishment of a common railroad technical safety system, as well as through the optimization of transmitting and transferring military freight.

Naturally, we will pay attention to cooperation in the fight against present-day challenges and threats. We plan to get actively involved in the implementation of anti-drug strategy adopted at the CSTO, as well as in the Canal, Nelegal and PROXI complex measures. As a practical step towards it, we propose to hold a conference in Armenia in 2016 on issues of ensuring cyber security of the CSTO member states with the application of new information technology.

We believe that the concerted efforts aimed at the improvement of CSTO institutional bases, including through restoration of activities of the High-Level Group, stem from our common interests. The steps taken in that direction will allow raising the effectiveness of CSTO activities.

Dear friends, colleagues, these are the priorities and primary directions of Armenia’s CSTO chairmanship. We hope that with your active support we will be able to accomplish them successfully.

Thank you for your attention,” said President Serzh Sargsyan.