The potential for conflicts in Central Asian countries over resources such as territory and water is rising, a threat that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is poised to neutralize, CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov said in an interview with Igor Korotchenko, Editor-in-Chief of the Natsionalnaya Oborona (National Defense) magazine.
"The range of threats is expanding rapidly. If we set aside global issues and concentrate on specific regional problems, the threat of conflicts over resources should be highlighted," Tasmagambetov stated. He further elaborated that these resources encompass territory, which can lead to border conflicts, and valuable resources such as water.
Tasmagambetov also emphasized that the CSTO possesses "real potential to neutralize these threats." He further added, "Moreover, there is ample reason to believe that this potential will be bolstered, and the attractiveness of the organization itself in Eurasia will increase."
The CSTO secretary-general also highlighted the issue of information security, which he noted takes "a specific dimension in the CSTO area of responsibility." He expressed concern that the lack of regulation in this area poses risks of large-scale manipulation of public consciousness by external actors for their own geopolitical interests.
Tasmagambetov pointed out that the fact CSTO analysts have identified and assessed the aforementioned threats, along with the close cooperation of member states at the governmental level, indicates that the organization has been actively working on finding solutions to these problems. "Moreover, the CSTO's experience allows the organization to form a platform for developing methodological approaches to neutralize the mentioned threats, as well as creating an alternative resource base that will permanently remove the existing contradictions," he further stated.
Tasmagambetov concluded by outlining several tracks the organization is pursuing to address these issues, including political and diplomatic efforts, such as the work of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, information and analytical initiatives, and mediation activities.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS