Kazakhstan expands legal framework for CSTO troop deployments

Kazakhstan’s parliament has begun work on a bill to ratify a Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) agreement on the deployment and transport of troops.

Aigul Kuspan, chairwoman of the Committee on International Affairs, Defence and Security of the Mazhilis of the Kazakh Parliament, said the legislation outlines the legal conditions for the temporary presence of CSTO units on the territory of member states, Caliber.Az reports per Kazakh media.

Proposed amendments expand the grounds for deploying such forces, allowing deployments not only in response to security threats but also for crisis prevention, humanitarian assistance, and surprise inspections.

The committee is prepared to formally review the bill and issue an official conclusion. A separate draft law proposes amendments to the 2015 agreement on the transport of CSTO troops, equipment, and military products. 

The changes aim to update and clarify the legal framework and enhance operational efficiency, particularly in situations requiring rapid decision-making and immediate task execution.

The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) is a Russia-led military alliance comprising Belarus, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Originating from the 1992 Collective Security Treaty, its primary aim is collective defence, based on the principle that an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.

The CSTO conducts joint military exercises, coordinates air defence and security policies, and provides a framework for mutual military support among its members.

By Jeyhun Aghazada