Bogkapitel
Collective Security Treaty Organisation; a Russian led military alliance
New book chapter by Karsten Jakob MøllerThe Collective Security Treaty Organisation: An Entangling AllianceA military instrument or a paper tiger?
Senior Analyst at DIIS, Karsten Jakob Møller, has written a chapter on the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, CSTO, in the book “International Organisations: Their Role in Conflict Management” published in November 2009 by the Royal Danish Defence College.
Although the purpose of the organisation according to its charter is collective defence of the seven member states, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan it is obvious that the CSTO is an instrument for Russian security and geopolitical interests. In Central Asia, Russia is trying to re-establish its traditional geopolitical position, but in competition with China. The CSTO is not an organisation kept together by ideological ties, and the minor member states are far from being satellites or being completely dependent economically on Russia. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have considerable influence in the region and therefore also in the CSTO.
The (Russian) military ambition of the CSTO is high. The organisatorial design of the CSTO is clearly inspired by the NATO model, but the development is being hampered by internal disagreement and mistrust of Russian ambitions.
The future of the CSTO depends on its ability to avoid internal disagreement and thus becoming a paper tiger.
Contact: Senior Analyst Karsten Jakob Møller at kjm@diis.dk
Although the purpose of the organisation according to its charter is collective defence of the seven member states, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan it is obvious that the CSTO is an instrument for Russian security and geopolitical interests. In Central Asia, Russia is trying to re-establish its traditional geopolitical position, but in competition with China. The CSTO is not an organisation kept together by ideological ties, and the minor member states are far from being satellites or being completely dependent economically on Russia. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have considerable influence in the region and therefore also in the CSTO.
The (Russian) military ambition of the CSTO is high. The organisatorial design of the CSTO is clearly inspired by the NATO model, but the development is being hampered by internal disagreement and mistrust of Russian ambitions.
The future of the CSTO depends on its ability to avoid internal disagreement and thus becoming a paper tiger.
Contact: Senior Analyst Karsten Jakob Møller at kjm@diis.dk
Regioner
Russia
Collective Security Treaty Organisation
an entangling alliance
International organisations , Peter Dahl Thruelsen: , Copenhagen: : Forsvarsakademiets Forlag, 2009, pp 203-223