Statement of the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation
Mr.Nikolay BORDYUZHA
Twelfth Meeting of OSCE Ministerial Council

Sofia, 6-7 December 2004

Unofficial translation from Russian

Statement of the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
Mr.Nikolay BORDYUZHA
at the 12-th Meeting of OSCE Ministerial Council

First of all I would like to express my gratitude to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for inviting us to attend this Ministerial Meeting and to make a written contribution. We decided to make use of this opportunity and to express our views on the processes that are developing in the framework of OSCE.

The CSTO member states consider the OSCE as an important component of contemporaty architecture of european security. They support the idea to make its activity more balanced, to actively employ all OSCE possibilities, to adapt it to modern challenges and realities.

We welcome the OSCE efforts aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of actions to counter terrorism, organized crime, drugs trafficking and trafficking in human beings, to control weapons and to increase confidence in military area.

Political dialogue on these issues could be more active and we support the proposal to establish ad-hoc consultative mechanism in consultation with other international organizations and institutions as part of overall effort to jointly analize and cope with threats, as proposed in the OSCE "Strategy to address threats to Security and Stability in the 21 Century".

We positively evaluate Draft Statement on Preventing and Combating Terrorism distributed by the six members of the CSTO and the Republic of Uzbekistan (PC.DEL/1030/04/REV.2). The adoption of this document will give an additional impetus to fullfill the commitments contained in the "Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism", the "OSCE Charter on Preventing and Combating Terrorism" and the "OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the 21 Century".

In our opinion it will be useful to discuss the proposals on enhancing container security, on preventing the use of Internet by terrorist organisations, on the exchange of information about lost passports.

It is important that we continue to pay special attention to the threats arising from concentration in Europe of significant military forces and military capabilities. We are in favor of the soonest entering into force of the adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty. Further delays in its ratification may lead to the erosion and the destruction of this important mechanism which maintained military balance in european continent for many years. We support the proposals to modernize the "Vienna Document (1999) on the Negotiations on Confidence and Security Building Measures" and to organize in OSCE framework the seminar on military doctrines.

One of our most important endeavours is to prevent the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The CSTO member states consider that this problem obtained new dimention and poses a global challenge to peace and international security. (The CSTO Ministerial Declaration is attached).

We view Appeal of States members of Commonwealth of Independent States to the OSCE partners (signed the 15-th of September this year) as a basis for constructive actions to increase the role that OSCE plays in the development of cooperation in the euroatlantic space.

We hope that decisions which will be adopted in this OSCE Meeting will help to move forward in strengthening regional stability and security.

We highly appreciate the hospitality of the Republic of Bulgaria which organized this Meeting.

Thank You.

Annex

Unofficial translation from Russian

DECLARATION

of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
on the issues of policy in the field of nonproliferation

The member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation principally and consistently advocate for the adoption of effective international measures aimed at active counteraction to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), related materials and delivery systems.

At present stage intensification of international terrorism attached a new dimension to the struggle against proliferation of WMD. Not only individual states but also terrorist organisations obtained a real chance to possess such a weapon. It makes the problem even more acute and dangerous.

The linkage of the threat of proliferation of WMD with terrorism presents a global challenge to peace and international security. Such a global challenge demands a global response. In this context the CSTO member states welcome the adoption by the UN Security Council of the Resolution 1540 (2004). They regard it as a timely response to the threat that weapons of mass destruction may come into the hands of terrorist organisations and consider that the resolution will facilitate the strengthening of existing international mechanisms and regimes of nonproliferation of WMD.

The CSTO member states view the Proliferation Security Initiative that received a wide international support as one of the most important elements of joint efforts of international community aimed at prevention of proliferation of WMD.

Geografically member states are located on the cross-roads of possible ways of illegal transit of weapons of mass destruction, related materials and delivery systems. CSTO member states are ready in accordance with the international law and national legislation to cooperate with the member states of the Proliferation Security Initiative and countries which support it in taking necessary measures to counter the proliferation of WMD.

The CSTO member states consider that actions in this direction will supplement and strengthern established forms and methods of activity carried out in the framework of already existing non-proliferation regimes and international structures and will not create obstacles for trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation of states conducted in accordance with the rules of international law.

The CSTO member states are sure that proliferation of WMD can be stopped only by common consecutive and persistent efforts and they are ready to make their substantial contribution to collective efforts of international community in this field.

(Signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republik, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan)

Moscow, November, 12, 2004