CSTO Castigates NATO And Its Neighbors

UNCLAS MINSK 000659

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BO
SUBJECT: CSTO Castigates NATO And Its Neighbors



1. Summary: The Russian Secretary General of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on June 20 gave a press
conference in which he ridiculed NATO and opined that its military
installations in Eastern European countries were part of a military
agenda in Russia's backyard. He stated CSTO sees no reason to
cooperate with NATO. The Secretary mentioned the CSTO's
cooperation with UN and other international organizations to combat
narcotics and terrorism and spoke of intra-organizational support
for law-enforcement training and weapons sales. The Secretary
concluded by stating that he would be willing to conduct
negotiations between GOB officials and opposition leaders should
the situation in Belarus become destabilized. End Summary.

Attacking NATO
--------------


2. At a June 20 press conference in Minsk, Secretary General of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolai Bordyuzha
told reporters the creation of military infrastructure in NATO-
member countries surrounding Russia and Belarus worried the CSTO.
Bordyuzha claimed the creation of reconnaissance centers, radar
stations, and plans for missile defense systems in Eastern Europe
were not to be used to counter Iranian and North Korean rockets, as
NATO has said. Bordyuzha told reporters he was familiar with the
missile defense industry and considered NATO's reason for the
military bases in these countries as "funny."


3. According to Bordyuzha, the CSTO was worried about NATO member
countries that failed to meet basic NATO standards, using Romania
and Bulgaria as examples. He concluded that NATO's enlargement
policy was purely political, served its "specific" military agenda
and predicted Ukraine would be NATO's next target. Bordyuzha
claimed the CSTO did not force relations with other nations because
such actions would impede the CSTO's development and evolution. No
countries have submitted for CSTO membership.


4. Bordyuzha explained that the CSTO was a self-sufficient
organization that saw no need to cooperate with NATO. Instead, its
main priority was to develop stronger relations with the UN,
especially in combating terrorism and narcotics, and maintain its
established cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,
the Commonwealth of Independent States, the OSCE and the Council of
the Baltic States.

Agreements
--------------


5. According to independent online news source Belapan, members of
the CSTO on June 20 signed agreements on emergency military
assistance, training of law-enforcement personnel, and material
supplies for law-enforcement agencies. According to Bordyuzha, in
accordance with past agreements, Russia sells arms to CSTO member
countries at domestic prices, but the topic was a sensitive one
and, therefore, was not widely publicized. Bordyuzha added that
should a political crisis break out in Belarus, he would be ready
to mediate between GOB officials and opposition leaders. He said
the CSTO's task was to prevent destabilization, mass riots, and
other situations that would put Belarus in a "terrible scenario."

KROL