The risk of conflicts in Central Asian countries over resources such as territory and water is growing, 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 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.

According to Tasmagambetov, CSTO analysts have identified and assessed the aforementioned threats, along with the close cooperation of member nations 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.

“There are several tracks here – the political-diplomatic efforts, such as activities of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, information and analytical initiatives, intermediation and so forth,” Tasmagambetov noted.

Asked how he assesses the prospects for the adoption of the Target Interstate Program, the CSTO secretary-general noted that the work on the adoption of the CSTO Target Interstate on strengthening stretches of Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan is progressing quite actively. 

“It includes specific measures aimed at providing security of the southern part of the CSTO area of responsibility. Thus, a meeting of representatives of relevant ministries and agencies of the CSTO member nations and members of the working group to finalize the draft target interstate program took place in late February – early March.  The draft program has been approved by the CSTO and has been submitted for approval to the CSTO member nations,” Tasmagambetov said.  

“It is important to note the political will of the leaderships of two member nations of the CSTO – Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, being aware of the scale of threats emanating from Afghanistan.   We hope that the Secretariat will be able to present the results of this work in the first half of the year,” he added.     

The Collective Security Treaty Organization includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.