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Medvedev signs law on ratification of CSTO Charter Protocol

The Protocol does not contain any rules other than those stipulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation

MOSCOW, March 1 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed the Federal Law “On Ratification of the Protocol Amending the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) of October 7, 2002,” adopted by the State Duma lower house of parliament on February 15, 2012 and approved by the Federation Council upper house on February 22, the Kremlin press service reported on Thursday.

The Protocol was drafted in response to the crisis that arose in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2010, which resulted in the need to improve the mechanism of the force potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation for responding to such situations. The Protocol introduces the corresponding amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation of October 7, 2002 (hereinafter – Charter).

Thus, the Protocol provides for the specification of the CSTO activities’ sphere aimed at building an effective system of collective security and system for responding to crises that threaten the security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the CSTO member states, as well as clarification of the organisational structure of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, tasks and functions of the CSTO Permanent Council, CSTO Secretary General, CSTO Secretariat of the CSTO Joint Staff. In addition, in accordance with amendments to the Charter, extra-budgetary funds can be attracted for financing the CSTO activities.

The Protocol stipulates that the CSTO member states shall take joint measures to create coalitional (collective) CSTO forces, regional (united) troops (forces), peacekeeping forces, joint systems and their control bodies, military infrastructure, interact in the fields of military and technical (military and economic) cooperation, provision of the needed armaments, military and special equipment and special means to the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and security services, as well as in the spheres of the protection of the national borders, information sharing, information security, protection of the population and territories from natural and man-made disasters, from the hazard arising from the conduct of or as a result of military operations.

The revised Charter provides for the possibility of decision making by the Collective Security Council in a limited format, on the condition that none of the CSTO member states objects to such decision making procedure.

The Protocol’s provisions are aimed at improving the efficiency of the CSTO activities, which meets the interests of strengthening the defence capability and security of the Russian Federation.

The Protocol does not contain any rules other than those stipulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

The implementation of the Protocol does not require additional allocations from the federal budget.

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