Bordyuzha: CSTO will not suppress oppositional forces

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) “will not suppress oppositional forces in this or that state.”

Such a statement was made by the CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha in Moscow on September 9, preventing concerns of some mass media that the military forces of the organization could be used for fight against opposition.

Bordyuzha stressed that the CSTO would not use the CSTO Collective Rapid Response Force for defense of the constitutional order of the member states of the organization. Peacekeeping forces could be used in such cases. As said by him, when a legal leader of a country where an attempt of a coup is taking place addresses the Collective Security Council of the CSTO, the Council can adopt a decision to send peacekeeping forces into this country, but not the CRRF. “The aim of CSTO peacekeepers is just to divide the opposing forces,” Bordyuzha is quoted by RIA Novosti.

We remind that on August 30 at the meeting with Nikolay Bordyuzha in Minsk Lukashenka stated that the CSTO countries were discussing the idea of using the CSTO’s Collective Rapid Response Force to prevent coups. At the meeting which fragments have been broadcast by the Belarusian TV, Lukashenka stated that “not only the use of forces from outside and aggression are meant, but the interference of other states from inside the SCTO countries.” “We discussed this problem seriously. It is a considerable support of the countries which are to be the CSTO members. No one would attack us or wage the war against us today, but many are itching to commit a constitutional coup. We must defend integrity and independence of the CSTO countries certainly,” Lukashenka said, as BelaPAN reports.

Such a position was criticized by Russia. In particular, “Izvestiya” newspaper was told by a source in the Kremlin that Alyaksandr Lukashenka “capitalized on and vulgarized” the idea of assistance by the CSTO.

However, on September 7 Sergei Prikhodko, aide to the Russian president, told to journalists: Russia shares the opinion of Belarus that the force could be used for preventing coups in the CSTO states.

Mr. Prikhodko said that Minsk and Moscow had their differences, but they did not concern the CSTO’s activities. “In regard to this specific issue, he [Lukashenka] was articulating a position approved by the Russian side.”

On September 9 talking to journalists Bordyuzha did not exclude that the CSTO could be vested with powers of an intermediary for addressing problems between two or more member states. As said by him, there is already a possibility to appoint a special representative, a negotiator for addressing crises and emergencies. A representative like this could appear when necessary to mend differences in bilateral relations, Bordyuzha believes.

A special representative could be appointed in case of serious bilateral problems between the member states. He would sort out the situation objectively and inform the Council about that, Bordyuzha said. Proceeding from such a report the Collective Security Council would be able to make a decision which would help to reconcile the conflict, he said.