MOSCOW. Dec 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Moscow expects imminent ratification of a protocol compelling Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries to coordinate with partners the deployment of military infrastructure of third countries on their territories by Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
"Hopefully, the ratification process will be complete: Kyrgyz and Kazakh partners have assured us of that," Russian Permanent Representative to the CSTO Igor Lyakin-Frolov said in an interview with Interfax.
"We do not have such concerns. Russia did not ratify the protocol immediately either - it took us some time to do that," Lyakin-Frolov said.
Seven CSTO member countries (Russia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kazakhstan) signed a protocol a year ago regarding the deployment of military sites of third countries on CSTO state territory. The protocol was due to enter into force after ratification by four member countries. Russia ratified the protocol on November 20. It was the fourth state to complete the ratification process.
"Hence, the protocol is valid for the countries, which has ratified it, i.e. Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Tajikistan. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are yet to ratify the document. As far as we know, they have almost finished the ratification," the diplomat said.
"The protocol compels a country planning to deploy military infrastructure of third states on its territory to do that only upon consultations with CSTO partners and with consent of all organization members," he said.