Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is Russia's post-Cold War answer to NATO. After the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, many of its old members in Eastern Europe joined NATO and became aligned with the West. Russia needed a new organization to counter the North Atlantic alliance, and this Charter spells out the framework of its member states' collaboration. The organization is made up entirely of post-Soviet states, though not all of them. Find the Charter and other information on the CSTO on their website here: https://en.odkb-csto.org/documents/documents/ustav_organizatsii_dogovora_o_kollektivnoy_bezopasnosti_/

"CHARTER OF THE COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION

dated October 07, 2002

(as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010)

Member States of the Collective Security Treaty of May 15, 1992 (the “Treaty”),

acting in strict compliance with their obligations under the UN Charter, resolutions of the UN Security Council, being guided by the universally recognized principles of international law;

striving for creation of favourable and stable conditions for full development of the Member States of the Treaty and ensuring of their safety, sovereignty and territorial integrity;

confirming the commitment to the purposes and principles of the Treaty and to the international treaties and resolutions accepted thereunder;

resolved to further develop and deepen the military and political cooperation in interests of providing and strengthening of the national, regional and international security;

setting the goal to continue and increase the close and all-round allied relations in foreign policy, military and technical areas, as well as in the sphere of counteraction to the transnational challenges and menaces to the safety of states and peoples;

being guided by intention to raise efficiency of activity under the Treaty,

have agreed as follows:

Chapter I Establishment of the Collective Security Treaty Organization

Article 1

Member States of the Treaty hereby establish the international regional Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), hereinafter referred to as the “Organization”.

(the article is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

Article 2

Provisions of the Treaty and the international treaties and resolutions of the Council for Collective Security of the Treaty adopted thereunder shall be binding for the Member States of the Organization (the “Member States”) and the Organization itself.

Chapter II Goals and Principles

Article 3

The goals of the Organization shall be strengthening of peace, international and regional security and stability, protection of independence on a collective basis, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Member States, in achievement of which the Member States prefer political means.

Article 4

The Organization shall co-operate in its activity with the states which are not the members of the Organization, keep in touch with the international intergovernmental organizations operating in the sphere of security. The Organization shall promote formation of the fair, democratic world order based on conventional principles of international law.

Article 5

The Organization shall operate on the basis of strict respect of independence, voluntariness of participation, equal rights and duties of the Member States, non-interference into the affairs falling within the national jurisdiction of the Member States.

Article 6

This Charter shall not affect the rights and obligations of the Member States under other international treaties they are parties to.

Chapter III Lines of Activity

Article 7

The Member States shall take joint measures to achieve the purposes of the Organization to form thereunder the efficient system of collective security providing collective protection in case of menace to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty and exercise of the right to collective defence, including creation of coalition (collective) forces of the Organization, regional (united) groups of armies (forces), peacekeeping forces, united systems and the bodies governing them, military infrastructure. The Member States shall also interact in the spheres of military and technical (military and economic) cooperation, supplying of armed forces, law enforcement agencies and special services with necessary arms, military, special equipment and special means, as well as in the spheres of training of military cadres and experts for the national armed forces, special services and law enforcement agencies.

(the paragraph is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

The Member States shall adopt a resolution on placement in their territories of groups of armies (forces), objects of military infrastructure of the states which are not members of the Organization after carrying out of urgent consultations (coordination) with other Member States.

Article 8

The Member States shall co-ordinate and unite their efforts at struggle with international terrorism and extremism, illicit trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances, weapon, organized transnational crime, illegal migration and other menaces to safety of the Member States.

The Member States shall take measures to creation and getting function within the framework of the Organization of the system of response to crisis situations menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Member States.

The Member States shall co-operate in the spheres of protection of state frontiers, exchange of information, information security, protection of the population and territories from emergency situations of natural and technogenic character, as well as from the dangers arising when maintaining or owing to the hostilities.

The Member States shall carry out their activity in these directions, including in close cooperation with all the interested states and international organizations with UN dominating.

(the article is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

Article 9

The Member States shall approve and co-ordinate their foreign policy positions on the international and regional security problems, using, in particular, consulting mechanisms and procedures of the Organization.

Article 10

The Member States shall take measures for development of the conventional and legal base regulating functioning of the collective security system, and for harmonization of the national legislation concerning defence, military construction and safety.

Chapter IV Bodies of the Organization

Article 11

The bodies of the Organization shall be:

a) Council for Collective Security (the “Council”);

b) Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (“CMFA”);

b) Council of Ministers of Defence (“CMD”);

c) Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils (“CSSC”);

d) Permanent Council.

Permanent working bodies of the Organization shall be the Organization Secretariat (the “Secretariat”) and the Joint Staff of the Organization (the “Joint Staff”).

The Body of inter-parliamentary cooperation shall be the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization.

Functions and operating procedures of the bodies specified above shall be regulated by this Charter, as well as other regulatory legal acts of the Organization.

(the article is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

Article 12

Resolutions of the Council, CMFA, CMD and CSSC on the issues, except for the procedural ones, shall be adopted by consensus.

When voting, any Member State shall have one vote. The voting procedure including on the procedural issues shall be regulated by the Rules of the Procedure of the Organization Bodies approved by the Council.

Resolutions of the Council and the resolutions of CMFA, CMD and CSSC adopted for execution thereof shall be binding for the Member States and shall be executed in accordance with the procedure established by the national laws.

The Council shall be entitled to adopt resolutions in a limited format provided that neither of the Member States objects to such a procedure of a resolution adoption. The resolution in a limited format may be adopted unless any of the Member States object to such a resolution.

The Member State which has not voted for the resolution adoption in a limited format shall not be liable for the consequences of the resolution adopted.

(the article is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

Article 13

Council shall be the supreme body of the Organization.

The Council shall consider the issues of principle of the Organization’s activity and adopt the resolutions focused at implementation of its goals and tasks, as well as provide coordination and joint activity of the Member States for implementation of these goals.

The Council shall include the heads of the Member States.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ministers of Defence, secretaries of security councils of the Member States, the Secretary General of the Organization, Permanent Representatives and Plenipotentiaries of the Member States under the Organization (the “permanent representatives”) and the invited persons may take part in the meetings of the Council.

The Council shall be entitled to create working and subsidiary bodies of the Organization on a constant or temporary basis.

The Chairperson of the Board (the “Chairperson”) shall be the head of State in the territory of which the regular session of the Council is held unless otherwise is decided by the Council. Its rights and duties shall be reserved thereby for the period until the next regular session of the Council.

If the Chairperson cannot carry out his/her functions, for the remained period the new Chairman shall be elected.

(the article is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

Article 14

CMFA shall be the advisory and executive body of the Organization for the issues of coordination of the Member States interaction in the field of foreign policy.

Article 15

CMD shall be the advisory and executive body of the Organization for the issues of coordination of the Member States interaction in the field of military policy, military construction and military and technical cooperation.

Article 16

CSSC shall be the advisory and executive body of the Organization for the issues of coordination of the Member States interaction in the field ensuring of their national security.

Article 161

Permanent Council shall be the coordinating body of the Organization dealing with cooperation within the framework of the Organization during the period between the sessions of the Council and providing implementation of the resolutions adopted by the Council, CMFA, CMD and CSSC together with permanent working bodies of the Organization.

The Permanent Council shall consist of the permanent representatives appointed by the heads of the Member States according to their interstate procedures and function in accordance with the Provision approved by the Council.

Chapter V

Secretary General.

Permanent Working Bodies of the Organization

(the Chapter is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010)

Article 17

The Secretary General of the Organization (the “Secretary General”) shall be the supreme administrative official of the Organization. The Secretary General shall manage the Secretariat, as well as perform coordination of activity of permanent working bodies of the Organization.

The Secretary General shall be appointed by the Council resolution for a period of three years (as advised by CMFA) of the citizens of the Member States.

The Secretary General shall be accountable to the Council, participate in the meetings of the Council, CMFA, CMD and CSSC and the Permanent Council.

The Secretary General shall coordinate development and approval of the draft documents submitted for consideration of the Organization bodies, represent the Organization before other states which are not the members thereof, international organizations, mass media and shall carry out working contacts with them.

The Secretary General shall be depositary in respect of this Charter, other international treaties concluded within the framework of the Organization and the accepted documents.

Article 18

Secretariat shall carry out organizational, information, analytical and consultative support of activity of the Organization bodies.

Secretariat with Permanent Council shall prepare draft resolutions and other documents of the Organization bodies.

Secretariat shall be formed of the number of citizens of the Member States on a quota basis (officials) in proportion to contributions of the Member States to the budget of the Organization and citizens of the Member States employed on a competitive basis under a contract (employees).

Functions, procedure for formation and work of the Secretariat shall be defined by the relevant Provision approved by the Council.

The location of the Secretariat shall be Moscow, the Russian Federation. Conditions of stay of the Secretariat in the territory of the Russian Federation shall be regulated on the basis of the relevant international treaty.

Article 181

The Joint Staff shall carry out the organizational and information and analytical support of CMD activity, shall be responsible for preparation of proposals on the military component of the Organization, organization and coordination of the practical implementation of the Organization bodies’ resolutions concerning military cooperation referred to its competence in interaction with bodies of military administration of the Member States.

The Joint Staff shall be formed of the military servants of the Member States on a quota basis in proportion to contributions of the Member States to the budget of the Organization and citizens of the Member States employed on a competitive basis under a contract.

Tasks,functions, structure, membership and organizational principles of the Joint Staff shall be defined by the relevant Provision approved by the Council.

The location of the Joint Staff shall be Moscow, the Russian Federation. Conditions of stay of the Joint Staff in the territory of the Russian Federation shall be regulated on the basis of the relevant international treaty.

Chapter VI Membership

Article 19

Any state sharing the goals and principles of the Organization and being ready to undertake the obligations containing in this Charter and other international treaties and resolutions effective within the framework of the Organization may become a member of the Organization.

Resolution on admittance to the Organization shall be adopted by the Council.

Any Member State shall be entitled to withdraw from the Organization. After settlement of its obligations within the framework of the Organization such a State shall send to the depositary of the Charter the formal notice on the withdrawal not later than in six months prior to the date of withdrawal.

The procedure for admittance to and withdrawal from the Organization shall be defined by the relevant Provision approved by the Council.

Article 20

In case of a Member State failure to fulfil the provisions of this Charter, resolutions of the Council and the resolutions of other bodies of the Organization adopted for execution of the former, the Council may suspend its participation in the activity of the Organization bodies.

In case of continuation of a Member State’s failure to fulfil the specified obligations, the Council may adopt a resolution on exclusion thereof from the Organization.

Resolutions on the issues concerning such a Member State shall be accepted without counting its vote.

The procedure for suspension of participation of the Member State in the activity of the Organization bodies or its exclusion from the Organization shall be determined by the relevant Provision approved by the Council.

Chapter VII Observers

Article 21

The status of the observer of the Organization may be provided to the state which is not the member of the Organization, as well as to the international organization according to the official written request addressed to the Secretary General. The resolution on provision, suspension or cancellation of the observer status shall be adopted by the Council.

Participation of the observers in the sessions and meetings of Organization bodies shall be regulated by the Rules of Procedure of the Organization bodies.

Chapter VIII Legal Capacity, Privileges and Immunities

Article 22

The Organization shall use the legal capacity necessary for implementation of its goals and tasks in the territory of each Member State.

The organization may cooperate with the states which are not its members, keep in touch with the international intergovernmental organizations operating in the sphere of security, conclude international treaties with them focused at establishment and development of such cooperation.

The Organization shall exercise the rights of a legal entity.

Article 23

Privileges and immunities of the Organization shall be defined by the relevant international treaty.

Chapter IX Financing

Article 24

The activity of permanent working bodies of the Organization shall be financed at the expense of the Organization budget funds. Extrabudgetary funds may be raised (except for the borrowed funds) to support the Organization activity, the procedure for formation and use of which shall be defined by the relevant Provision approved by the Council.

(the paragraph is as amended by the Protocol on amendments to the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of October 07, 2002, signed on December 10, 2010).

The budget of the Organization shall be formed at the expense of contributions of the Member States approved by Council.

The budget of the Organization shall not have deficit.

The draft budget of the Organization for each fiscal year shall be developed by the Secretariat as agreed with the Member States according to the Provision on the Procedure of Formation and Performance of the Organization Budget. The budget of the Organization shall be approved by the Council.

Provision on the Procedure of Formation and Performance of the Organization Budget shall be approved by the Council.

Member States shall independently incur the expenses related to participation of their representatives and experts in the meetings, meetings of the Organization bodies and other events carried out within the framework of the Organization, as well as the expenses related to the activity of permanent representatives.

Article 25

In case of the Member States failure to fulfil the obligations on repayment of indebtedness to the Organization budget within two years, the Council shall adopt a resolution on retention of the right to propose the citizens of this state to the quota positions within the framework of the Organization, as well as on vote deprivation in the Organization bodies until full repayment of the indebtedness.

Chapter X Final Provisions

Article 26

This Charter shall be subject to ratification and become effective from the date of delivery of the last written notice of ratification to the depositary by the states which have signed them.

The depositary shall notify the states which have signed this Charter on receipt of each notice of ratification.

Article 27

This Charter may be amended as consented by all the Member States, the amendments shall be executed as separate Protocol.

The Protocol on amendments to the Charter shall make an integral part thereof and become effective in accordance with the procedure established by Article 26 hereof.

Reservations to the Charter shall not be allowed.

Any disputes concerning interpretation and application of provisions of this Charter shall be settled by consultations and negotiations between the interested Member States. In case of failure to achieve the consent, the dispute shall be brought to the Council for consideration.

Article 28

Official and working language of the Organization shall be Russian.

Article 29

This Charter shall be registered with the UN Secretariat according to provisions of article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations."

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