CSTO Plans to Negotiate Inclusion of Its Peacekeepers in the UN in 2021

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) plans to complete the necessary legal work for the inclusion of its peacekeepers in the United Nations by the end of the year. According to Armenpress, citing BELTA, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas announced this.

Zas noted that one of the promising areas for the development of the organization's peacekeeping forces is their participation in operations conducted under the auspices of the UN. "A great deal of work has been done with the support of the UN Secretariat's departments. We have received assistance there. Now, efforts are being made to align our legislation with the standards of the international organization. I believe we will complete the legal work this year and start negotiations regarding the inclusion of our peacekeepers in the UN next year," Zas stated.

He reminded that the main goal of the CSTO is to strengthen and maintain international peace and regional security not through military means, but rather through political measures. For this purpose, well-prepared units exist that can address peacekeeping challenges, create conditions for the restraint of conflicting parties, initiate the negotiation process, and generally establish peace.

“We have developed the entire legal basis necessary for conducting peacekeeping operations and have formed the appropriate forces and resources. The total number of peacekeeping forces in the CSTO amounts to 3,600 personnel from participating countries. They are well-prepared, and most of the servicemen in these units have experience in peacekeeping operations,” Stanislav Zas added.

The CSTO Secretary General also emphasized that the question of including CSTO peacekeepers in the conflict zone of Nagorno-Karabakh is not currently on the agenda.