Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said that Armenia’s membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization remains open, despite statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who this week emphasized that Yerevan will not take part in the group’s activities.
Pashinyan on Wedensday doubled down on his earlier decision to freeze Armenia’s membership to the Russia-led CSTO, which he said has violated its charter by not assisting Armenia when Azerbaijani forces—on two occasions—breached Armenia’s sovereign borders and invaded its territory.
“We have said we are freezing our participation in the CSTO, which means that we are not participating in the discussion of any document. We simply do not veto any document, because, in fact, we see ourselves outside the CSTO, let them do whatever they want. This situation makes Armenia’s return to the CSTO increasingly difficult, if not impossible. I think that here we have crossed the point of no return,” Pashinyan told lawmakers on Wednesday.
Lavrov told a press conference on Thursday that the CSTO has not received an official request from Armenia in writing about withdrawing its membership from the group.
“We hear these rumors that the prime minister of Armenia spoke and discussed many things on this topic in the parliament. We do not impose anything on anyone. We are convinced that making the most of [CSTO] membership is in the interests of Armenia’s security. Russia and other CSTO members have not taken and are not going to take any action that will be perceived as closing the doors of Yerevan,” Lavrov said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.
Following the latest CSTO summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan last week, President Vladimir Putin of Russia expressed hope that Armenia “will return to full-scale work within the framework of this organization.”
The Russian leader dismissed Yerevan’s criticism of the CSTO, linking it to “internal political processes in Armenia” and Azerbaijan waging a war on Artsakh in 2020. Putin also denied any “external aggression against Armenia itself.”
“The situation related to Karabakh has nothing to do with this,” countered Pashinyan on Wednesday.
CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday that the group’s commitments and obligations to Armenia remain unchanged, saying Yerevan’s posturing toward the security organization emanates from “the decision of the military and political leadership of Armenia.”
“We are proceeding from the fact that the Republic of Armenia is our ally, and all our obligations towards Armenia are maintained. Armenia can return to full-scale participation in the work of the organization at any time; there is no objection,” the CSTO Secretary General said.
