CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces mission completed in Kazakhstan

Military personnel of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization departed from Almaty.

The CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, the Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Major General Muhamedzhan Talasov, mayor of Almaty Bakytzhan Sagintayev attended the send-off of the peacekeeping contingent, which took place on the parade ground of the Military Institute of Land Forces named after Hero of the Soviet Union, Halyq qaharmany, Army General Sagadat Nurmagambetov.

Colonel General Anatoly Serdyukov, commander of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces, expressed his sincere gratitude to all the personnel for their resolute action and flawless in fulfilling of their military duty.

The commander also expressed appreciation to the heads of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan for its help in resolving issues related to wellfare of the multinational peacekeeping contingent.

The Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Major General Muhamedzhan Talasov, noted that the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, requested the heads of member states of the Organization to deploy a joint peacekeeping contingent to help stabilize the situation in the country.

"You ensured the protection of strategic and other important facilities. Thanks to your arrival, the Kazakhstani military personnel and officers of law enforcement agencies were able to take up their direct duties of searching for detaining criminal elements," Muhamedzhan Talasov said.

The members of the contingent of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces were thanked on behalf of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A number of peacekeepers were awarded «For Contribution to International Cooperation» medals and merit certificates by order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In accordance with a decision of the Collective Security Council, CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces were deployed in the Republic of Kazakhstan and carried out tasks to protect state, military and social facilities.

Following the principles of good neighbourliness and military cooperation, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan sent their military contingents of 2,030 military personnel and 250 units of equipment to Kazakhstan as fraternal assistance for the restoration of constitutional order.

The Organization’s allies provided support and timely assistance to Kazakhstan in the face of a terrorist attack. The securing of the most important facilities by peacekeepers has freed up a significant part of the forces and assets of the Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and has deployed them to combat terrorists. The effectiveness of the Collective Security Treaty Organization was clearly demonstrated in this situation.

The staged withdrawal of the CSTO joint peacekeeping contingent from our country will be carried out in accordance with the period established by the President of Kazakhstan, starting on 13 January this year.