Tasmagambetov: CSTO does not seek to become a counterweight to NATO

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) does not aim to become a counterweight to NATO, CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov said in an interview with BelTA.

“The CSTO does not have a goal of becoming a counterweight to any organization or country,” said the secretary general as he answered the question whether the CSTO is a counterweight to NATO or has a different strategy. “In principle, both the organization as a whole and its members individually are in favor of dropping bloc thinking, as this kind of thinking reduces the possibilities of cooperation and often significantly limits the national sovereignty of participants in such associations. At the same time, of course, NATO’s actions are monitored and analyzed. At their meetings experts and senior officials of member states discuss in detail all factors influencing the situation in the CSTO area of responsibility. The CSTO has the ability to quickly respond to the changing situation taking into account the interests of all member states,” he said.

Imangali Tasmagambetov emphasized that the strategic goal of the CSTO is to ensure collective security by consolidating the efforts and resources of the CSTO member states on the basis of strategic partnership and generally recognized norms and principles of international law. “To this end, the organization is working to promote comprehensive political and military interaction, jointly respond to challenges and threats, as well as to address other problems of collective security,” he noted.