Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)

Why in news?

• On 5 January 2022, the CSTO dispatched troops to Kazakhstan in order to help quell the 2022 Kazakhstan protests

More about the news:

• The ‘2022 Kazakh protests’ began on 2 January after a sudden sharp increase in gas prices which, according to the Kazakh government, was due to high demand and price fixing.
• The protests began in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen, but then quickly spread to other cities in the country, especially the nation's largest city Almaty, due to rising dissatisfaction with the government and economic inequality.

About Collective Security Treaty Organisation:

• The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia that consists of select post-Soviet states.
• It came into effect in 2002.
• The military alliance comprises of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
• Its’ origin can be traced to the Collective Security Treaty, 1992 (Tashkent Treaty).
• Headquarters of CSTO: Moscow.

Objectives of the CSTO

• To strengthen peace, international and regional security including cybersecurity and stability, the protection on a collective basis of the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the member states.
• The CSTO charter reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force.
• Signatories would not be able to join other military alliances.

Add ons:

• Collective Security Council (CSC) is the highest body of the Organization and consists of heads of member states.
• Sessions of the CSC are held alternately in Member States as necessary, but at least once a year.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Collective Security Treaty Organization?

1. It is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia that consists of select post-Soviet states

2. It is headquartered in Istanbul

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer