The Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) met in Moscow on June 14, 2009. The major result of the meeting was an agreement forming Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF). The document was signed by all CSTO member-states except for Belarus and Uzbekistan. Moreover, official Minsk considers the decisions made in Moscow illegal. As to Uzbekistan, that country has from the very outset been “the fifth column” in the CSTO. It should be remembered that Uzbekistan has several times resigned its membership in the CSTO in favor of GUAM and vice versa. Moreover, that country has not so far signed the CSTO basic documents and ignored the last session the CSTO Foreign Ministers in Yerevan.

As to the necessity and functional use of the CRRF, RA President Serzh Sargsyan said: “The formation of Collective Rapid Reaction Forсes will consolidate the security of all the CSTO member-states.” Thus the Armenian leader made it clear that strengthening of Armenia's national security is an urgent matter.

This matter cannot anyhow depend on the supply of Belarussian dairy products to Russia. That is why Belarus' demarche against Russia as well as Moscow's sanctions against the Belarussian dairy industry along with the CSTO's activities and defense agreement, begin affecting the security of Armenia or, for example, Kyrgyzstan.

The CSTO obviously needs to specify its functions and governance structure. Russia's economic priorities or Uzbekistan “oil-and-gas appetites” cannot influence the CSTO's schedule and tasks. Otherwise, Armenia's membership in the club has no sense, and deeper relations with NATO become an urgent task.