WPS Agency, Russia
What the Papers Say (Russia)
May 29, 2009 Friday
"ARMY GROUP FOR A MAJOR WAR"
by Vladimir Soloviov
NIKOLAI BORDYUZHA: THE ORGANIZATION NEEDS AMPLE ARMY GROUPS TO DEFEND
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF ITS MEMBER STATES; An interview with Nikolai
Bordyuzha, Secretary General of the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization.
Here is an interview with Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary General of the
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization (Organization) on the
Strategic Response Collective Forces and on the plans for Central
Asia.
Question: Organization summit this February ordered development of the
Strategic Response Collective Forces. What has been done already?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Presidents decided to have the Strategic Response
Collective Forces developed and instructed structures of the
Organization (Secretariat and United HQ) to draw all necessary
documents by June. A great deal of problems had to be addressed: what
member states would accept foreign troops on their territories, how
these troops would be deployed, how decisions to deploy them would be
made, and so on.
We’ve already drawn a draft agreement on establishment of the
Strategic Response Collective Forces, a document defining their
status, procedure of formation, and principles of their functioning
when on the territory of member states. There are two supplements to
the draft agreement as well, one on the contingent command which we
believe should be international and the other on deployment as such.
Question: Let’s say the document is signed on June 14. Does it mean
that the Strategic Response Collective Forces will be as good as
established and functioning from then on?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Apart from this agreement, the presidents are also
supposed to sign some other documents. They deal with composition of
the contingent. Member states have already told us what units and
formations they are prepared to offer.
Question: What will numerical strength of the Strategic Response
Collective Forces be?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: I’d say it will amount to between 10,000 and 20,000
men from crack units and formations.
Question: Where will they be stationed?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: At their permanent bases.
Question: But that may compromise mobility of the future Strategic
Response Collective Forces…
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Mobility is the whole point of the Strategic
Response Collective Forces. It is therefore necessary for us to make
sure that once the decision to deploy is made, the contingent will be
instantly airlifted to the theater of operations. That’s why Russia
will be represented by an airborne division, by the way.
Question: Who will command the Strategic Response Collective Forces?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Whenever there is a operation to be run, the
Collective Security Council will order establishment of a special
command.
Question: Are you saying that commanders will function from their
respective countries too?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: No, commanders will be in Moscow. Whenever
necessary, the commanding structure will be reinforced with
specialists in whatever region has been chosen for the operation.
Question: Has composition of the command been decided on yet? And how
will decisions be made? By consensus?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Yes, by consensus. Commanders will be selected by
the Collective Security Council for the duration of the operation.
Question: Relations between members of the Organization are somewhat
problematic. Uzbekistan signs all documents with clear misgivings and
reservations. Certain friction with Tajikistan was undeniable when the
decision to develop the Strategic Response Collective Forces was
made. What if this necessity to reach a consensus becomes a liability
impairing efficiency of the Strategic Response Collective Forces?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: The discord is never serious or
antagonistic. Should the situation deteriorate, I have no doubts that
we will always reach a consensus. I’m sure of it. The Strategic
Response Collective Forces is to be deployed whenever a member state
needs assistance. That’s what the draft agreement states – that the
contingent will be deployed "on request from member states".
Question: What kind of crisis might necessitate deployment?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Say, the necessity to localize armed and border
conflicts, to repel terrorist attacks, to run an operation against
traffickers. Let me repeat it though: the Strategic Response
Collective Forces are only to be brought into play if and when the
national regular army hollered hor help.
Question: Organization Charter states that an attack on any individual
member state is to be regarded as an aggression against all. There is
Armenia that is an Organization member and there is Azerbaijan that is
not. Should the smouldering conflict between these two neighbors
escalate into a shooting war and Armenia holler for help, what then?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Let’s do without "What if…", shall we? I’m often
asked questions about the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. I always
reply that any reckless word may stir the pot and jeopardize the
process of settlement.
Question: Let’s phrase it differently then. A conflict flares up
between sovereign state A that belongs to the Organization and
sovereign state B that doesn’t. Sovereign state A needs help. Will the
Organization send its Strategic Response Collective Forces there?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: The Organization is about ensuring security of its
member states by collective efforts. Should a member state find itself
under attack, the Organization – the Organization and not the
Strategic Response Collective Forces – will come to its help.
Question: What will the Strategic Response Collective Forces do then?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: This contingent is expected to put out petty armed
conflicts. When the matter concerns a threat to territorial integrity
or a major war looms uncomfortably close, we have joint army groups to
deal with them – Russian-Armenian and Russian-Belarussian. As a matter
of fact, we are currently working on documents that will allow for
establishment of a Central Asian army group.
Question: What national contingents will in include?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: We expect national contingents of four, perhaps
even five member states in it. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Russia will develop this group for a major war or for
when territorial integrity and sovereignty is seriously
jeopardized. As for reaction to crises, we’ll soon have the Strategic
Response Collective Forces for it. That’s why we want it a
multipurpose contingent.
Question: The Russian National Security Strategy until 2020
anticipates vicious struggle for resources, Central Asian resources
included, in the near future. This Central Asian army group you’ve
mentioned, does it have anything to do with this particular danger?
Nikolai Bordyuzha: Our approach does jibe with the strategy. We are
convinced that the Organization ought to include ample army groups
defending territorial integrity of its members. That’s what the
Organization is about, after all.
Source: Kommersant, May 29, 2009, EV
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
