Russia: Head of CSTO discusses cooperation deal with UN.

Text of report by the website of liberal Russian newspaper Vremya Novostey on 18 March

[Interview with CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay Nikolayevich Bordyuzha by Vremya Novostey military analyst Nikolay Poroskov, date and place not specified: "'CSTO Troops Can Be Redeployed to Africa at UN Request'"]

The visit of United Nations Organization Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Moscow begins today. One of the chief purposes of the secretary-general's trip is the signing of a joint declaration of cooperation between the UN and Collective Security Treaty Organization [CSTO] secretariats. According to the plan for the visit, Ban Ki-moon will meet with CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay Bordyuzha and then with RF President Dmitriy Medvedev. Bordyuzha told Vremya Novostey military analyst Nikolay Poroskov about the new phase of relations of the two international organizations.

[VN] Nikolay Nikolayevich, at its 64th session on 2 March the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing contacts with the CSTO. What is the meaning of this resolution and what practical importance will it have?

[Bordyuzha] All world states voted for this resolution. They thereby approved the UN Secretariat's activation of relations with our Organization. The document states: The UN calls on member countries to do the same. This is recognition of the CSTO and of the niche it occupies, recognition of the Organization's authority and of its ability to contribute to ensuring security on a global scale. Previously there was such …