MOSCOW, June 16 (Itar-Tass) —— President Vladimir Putin has signed the Federal Law “On the Ratification of the Agreement on the Procedure for Forming and Using Capabilities of the Collective Security System of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation”.
The federal law was adopted by the State Duma on May 25, 2012 and approved by the Federation Council on June 6, 2012. The agreement was signed in Moscow on December 10, 2010 by all of the CSTO member states, with the exception of Uzbekistan.
The agreement is based on the effective Protocol that sets the procedure for forming and operating capabilities of the Collective Security System created by the countries participating in the Collective Security Treaty of May 15, 1992. The protocol was signed in Yerevan on May 25, 2001.
The signing of the agreement followed the creation of the CSTO Rapid Reaction Force and the incorporation of special task forces, police unit, Interior Troops, security services, emergency response bodies and civilian specialists into the collective security capabilities along with military formations.
The agreement is aimed at carrying out practical measures to create and improve the CSTO collective security system designed to provide proper response to armed aggression and other challenges and threats against one or several member states in order to ensure effective protection of their national and collective interests, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The agreement sets forth the principles of creating and using the CSTO collective security capabilities, defines their purpose, and regulates their composition and components.
CSTO collective security capabilities include national military units and formations and other troops, police special task forces, Interior Troops, security services, emergency response bodies subordinated to the national governing bodies and used by the decision of the CSTO bodies; a coalition group of troops; regional (joined) groups of troops; groups of combined (joined) military systems; collective peacekeeping troops. Russia’s strategic nuclear forces act as deterrence to prevent possible armed aggression against one or several member states.
Under the agreement, the CSTO collective security capabilities are formed by the member states in accordance with their national laws, international treaties adopted within the CSTO, resolutions of the CSTO bodies and other international agreements to which member states are parties.
Decisions on the composition, deployment schedule, and use of the CSTO collective security capabilities are made by the CSTO Collective Security Council on the basis of an appeal from one or several member states.
Member states provide logistical and technical support for their respective military contingents and special task forces.
The Agreement supersedes the Protocol. Its ratification meets Russia’s national interests and its implementation will not require additional budget expenditures.