ARMENIA: LAWMAKERS DEBATE WHETHER YEREVAN SHOULD DEFEND RUSSIA?

Eurasianet
February 23, 2010

The Armenian parliament ratified the creation of a rapid reaction
force under the auspices of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty
Organization. But the legislative debate in Yerevan proved contentious,
with opposition leaders expressing concern about the possibility of
Armenian involvement in a potential regional conflict.

Parliament endorsed the creation of the CSTO rapid reaction force
on February 23, a day that, during the Soviet era, was celebrated
as armed forces day. For Armenia, the merits of membership in the
Moscow-led defense pact include discounted access to Russian weapons
and protection against neighboring Azerbaijan’s potential attempts
to retake the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave by force.

But some lawmakers warned during the ratification debate that the
rapid reaction force agreement, which was agreed to during a CSTO
meeting last year in Moscow, could potentially embroil Yerevan in a
conflict. Opposition MPs pointed out that pact provisions would require
Yerevan to keep secrets from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
and would potentially set Armenia against neighboring Georgia, which
fought a brief and disastrous war against Russia in 2008.

Stepan Safarian, head of the opposition Heritage Party’s parliamentary
faction, said that the agreement obliges Armenia to take a military
action against Georgia on Russia’s behalf in the event of a repeat
in hostilities between Tbilisi and Moscow, Russia’s RIA-Novosti news
agency reported on February 23.

Vardan Aivazian, a member of the governing Republican Party, responded
that the Kremlin should expect military support from Armenia in return
for Moscow’s protection, the Novosti Armenia news service reported.

Armenia is the only CSTO member in the South Caucasus; it is sandwiched
between NATO-member Turkey and NATO-aspirant Georgia.

The CSTO also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan.