From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Организация Договора о коллективной безопасности
Collective Security Treaty Organization

Symbol of the CSTO
Current members      Former members
Headquarters	Moscow
Membership	7 member states
Official language	Russian
Secretary General	Nikolai Bordyuzha
Formation
As CST - Signed - Effective As CSTO - Signed - Effective	- 15 May 1992 - 20 April 1994 - 7 October 2002 - 18 September 2003

In the framework of Commonwealth of Independent States the CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) was signed on May 15, 1992, by Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, in the city of Tashkent. Azerbaijan likewise signed the treaty on September 24, 1993, Georgia on December 9, 1993 and Belarus on December 31, 1993. The treaty came into effect on April 20, 1994.

The treaty reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force. Signatories wouldn't be able to join other military alliances or other groups of states, while an aggression against one signatory would be perceived as an aggression against all.

The CST was set to last for a 5-year period unless extended. On April 2, 1999, the Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, signed a protocol renewing the treaty for another five year period -- however Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan refused to sign and withdrew from the treaty instead (at the same time Uzbekistan joined the GUAM group, established in 1997 by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and largely seen as intending to counter Russian influence in the region).

On October 7, 2002, the six members of the CST signed a charter in Chişinău, expanding it and renaming to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)(Russian Организация Договора о коллективной безопасности). Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed secretary general of the new organization.

During 2005, the CSTO partners have conducted some common military exercises. In 2005, Uzbekistan withdrew from GUAM and began to seek closer ties with Russia. On 23 June 2006, Vladimir Putin announced that Uzbekistan became a full-member of the CSTO.^[1]

In June 2007, Kyrgyzstan has assumed the rotating CSTO presidency.

In October 2007, the CSTO signed an agreement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, to broaden cooperation on issues such as security, crime, and drug trafficking.^[2]

On October 6th, 2007 CSTO members agreed to a major expansion of the organization that would create a CSTO peacekeeping force that could deploy under a U.N. mandate or without one in its member states. This could be used to suppress revolution in any CSTO country. The expansion would also allow all members to purchase Russian weapons at the same price as Russia.^[3]

The CSTO is an observer organisation at the United Nations General Assembly.

• Current members:
  •  Armenia (1994)
  •  Belarus (1994)
  •  Kazakhstan (1994)
  •  Kyrgyzstan (1994)
  •  Tajikistan (1994)
  •  Russia (1994)
  •  Uzbekistan (joined 1994, withdrew 1999, rejoined 2006)
• Former members:
  •  Azerbaijan (joined 1994, withdrew 1999)
  •  Georgia (joined 1994, withdrew 1999)

In May 2007 the CSTO secretary-general Nikolai Bordyuzha suggested Iran could join the CSTO saying, "The CSTO is an open organization. If Iran applies in accordance with our charter, we will consider the application." ^[4] If Iran joined it would be the first nation outside the Former Soviet Union to become a member of the organization.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
• GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM)
• Military alliance
• Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC)
• Post-Soviet states
• Southeast Asia Treaty Organization SEATO
• Warsaw Pact

• CSTO Official Site (in Russian)