Tokayev Harshly Criticises Lukashenka's Speech At CSTO Session

The Kazakh president questioned the adequacy of the usurper's panic statements.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, speaking at a session of the CSTO Collective Security Council, criticised the frequent statements of the organisation's member states about growing threats. The text of his speech was published by the Kazakh leader's press service.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised that he shares the concerns of CSTO partners about the level of traditional threats, including increased drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, cross-border crime and illegal migration.

"While building the CSTO's tactics and strategy, we must certainly take into account the threats and challenges of modern realities. At the same time, in my view, there is no need to talk constantly about the growing threats to the security of the CSTO member States, even if they exist. After all, threats have always existed. That is the nature of the international community. Frequent statements on this topic create the illusion that we are afraid of someone," the Kazakh president said.

Tokayev emphasised that "such statements can also get and, it seems, already getting a completely wrong interpretation".

"The Organisation's rhetoric should be tough but extremely correct, taking into account the dignity of the participating states and their combined military and political potential and power. The CSTO has shown its success as a credible military-political organisation, but there are new tasks ahead, which should correspond to the constructive mood of its member states," the Kazakh leader stressed.

We remind you that during the session of the CSTO, held in Minsk on November 23, Aliaksandr Lukashenka devoted a long tirade to "modern challenges and threats". In his speech, he said that "we have already been swirled by the whirlwind of changing epochs"'.

"Modern challenges and threats are global in nature. Moreover, they weave our national interests into one knot," said Lukashenka and moved on to the "main theme" of his speeches - the "change of eras," which, in his opinion, has spun the whole world, destroying the "unipolar Western-centric model".

Lukashenko expressed confidence that this "dramatic transition" is connected with the fact that "Western politicians do not want to give up their positions."

"International law works exclusively for a select few. Against the background of odious bellicose rhetoric of some politicians and complete loss of mutual trust, the spiral of a new arms race is being purposefully unwound. The fire of regional conflicts, including the use of the latest weapon systems, may spread to other countries at any moment," Lukashenka said.