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CSTO peacekeepers could be involved in UN operations, ex-Secretary General says

The involvement of CSTO forces may also become a means for combating color revolutions, former CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha noted

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. The CSTO peacekeeping potential could be involved in UN operations, former CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha said at a press conference Tuesday.

"There was an agreement that the CSTO peacekeeping potential’s operational groups - that is, representatives of member states - will participate in the UN’s peacekeeping operations at the initial stage in order to obtain practical experience. You know that both Kazakh and Russian peacekeepers have already taken part in UN operations, peacekeeping operations," he said. "That said, there is certain practical experience, but the current state of the peacekeeping potential suggests that it could be used in other areas of UN operations."

The former Secretary General noted that this issue has been discussed with the UN for 7-8 years. "We discussed the participation of peacekeepers, operational groups and CSTO Secretariat in peacekeeping operations," he noted.

According to Bordyuzha, the involvement of CSTO forces may also become a means for combating color revolutions.

"In Kazakhstan, everything started with protests with economic slogans against the price hike, and ended with pogroms and the participation of militants in these riots. […] There were certain elements of a color revolution already. Peacekeeping forces could be involved in order to counter color revolution technologies," he noted.

The CSTO collective peacekeeping forces were sent to Kazakhstan for a limited period of time in order to stabilize and normalize the situation in the republic in accordance with the January 6 Collective Security Council decision. The peacekeeping contingent stayed in Kazakhstan until January 19. According to the Kazakh authorities, this experience proved the viability and efficiency of the Organization, as well as its capability for prompt action.

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