NATO Individual Democratic Institutions Research Fellowships (1994-1996)

Collective Security System of the CIS States and Measures Providing Peace on the Territory of the Former Soviet Union Alexander Yegorov (Belarus) [Back to Index] Introduction Collective security and peacekeeping problems, in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) territory, are among the most topical and burning issues of today's current agenda. That is why it is not by chance that they attract the close attention of experts and research workers who specialise in national and international security issues on home and foreign policy. Nevertheless, a comprehensive study of these problems has not been conducted yet, due to the fact that such problems have become noticeable in the international scene only since 1992. The selection of this research subject is attributable to it's unquestioned urgency and political importance, in addition to the fact that it has not yet been thoroughly explored. The fundamental idea supporting this work is to monitor the set-up of the Collective Security System (CSS) within the CIS and to point out the basic guidelines of peacekeeping activity and it's link with ensuring security and stability in the CIS. In doing so, the author will base this text on the assumption that the CIS is not in the stable surroundings and one cannot say that possible threats to security have either vanished or are likely to do so in the near future. Armed conflicts, terrorism, aggressive nationalism constitute a real threat for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the CIS states. This is why the CIS countries increasingly think it is necessary that joint activities afford solutions to questions related to the security sphere. Set-up of an effective CCS, capable of ensuring protection from external threat coupled with considerable reduction of defence expenditures, due to such co-operation, could meet this need. The Treaty on Collective Security (TCS) signed in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 15 May 1992 is the legal basis of the CCS. Currently, a number of documents for the Treaty's implementation have been signed, including the Concept of Collective Security and its specific mechanisms. It should be emphasised that it is not an issue of setting-up a "loosed bloc" concept of ideology. We deal with conceptualising an organisation that will play a stabilising role in the CIS and will be set up on an entirely "voluntary" rather than on a "forced" basis. Peacekeeping, aimed at settling and preventing conflicts in the CIS states primarily through peaceful political and diplomatic means, is an inherent component of effort to provide stability in the CIS territory. We believe that decisive steps should be taken to make peacekeeping a result of joint efforts of CIS countries, by way of their more active involvement, on all the levels of activities, in setting up the mechanism of a prompt solution to peacekeeping issues within the CIS. This should be pursued through close interaction with the United Nations Organisation (UN) and the Organisation on Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). We must strive for real and effective involvement, with these international organisations, in settling conflicts within the CIS territory. Currently the CIS, alone, has a monumental burden that could be shared by the whole international community. The structure of this research paper is determined on the intent to eventually consider general approaches for a collective security set-up (part 3) on the basis of available literature analysis (part 2), with specific efforts on CCS set-up within the CIS (part 4), concluding with the framework and aspects of peacekeeping in the CIS territory (part 5). It should be noted that collective security, in this work, is regarded in the political and military sphere. It is viewed as a state of protective interests, sovereignty and territorial integrity relative to the TCS participating states. Peacekeeping is envisioned, by the author, as joint activity of international political, economic, military and other organisations, conducted in consonance with norms and principles of international law. Thus, aimed at solving international disputes, preventing and terminating military conflicts, primarily by peaceful means, in the interest of eliminating threat to world peace and security.