DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)

Wednesday

 

 

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 19, 2018, p. 1

 

  

Minsk reacted to the criticism of Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who complained about the statements made by the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, voiced in connection with the CSTO summit held in Astana. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus recommended the Armenian leader not to introduce "the rules of the so-called street democracy … into big politics." The story, it seems, is far from the end, because the Armenian side, even before the remarks of Minsk, was preparing an official appeal. It hasn't been voiced yet.

 

Nikol Pashinyan is annoyed by the events that occurred after the CSTO summit in Astana on November 8. One of the topics discussed in the capital of Kazakhstan was the issue of replacing the general secretary of the organization. According to the statute, this position until 2020 should be occupied by a representative of Armenia.

 

However, Yuri Khachaturov, who worked as the CSTO Secretary General, was revoked by the new authorities of the republic, being accused of anti-constitutional actions on March 1, 2008. The actions of the Armenian authorities irritated the CSTO allies, especially Russia; the Foreign Ministry's commentary said that the question of revoking the CSTO Secretary General could not be solved unilaterally and without taking into account that such actions could cause reputational damage to the interstate alliance.

 

Today, Yerevan believes that it is entitled to replace Khachaturov with another person. Even a specific nominee was called – former Minister of Defense of Armenia Vagarshak Arutyunyan. However, at the summit in Astana, the issue was not resolved, and its discussion was postponed for December 6, when the next organization's summit in St. Petersburg will take place.

 

After the Astana meeting, the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, commenting on the situation, said that he considers that it would be right if the position of the CSTO Secretary General, on the stipulated alphabetical rotation, were at present, but not in 2020, transferred to Belarus. In Minsk, meanwhile, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Azerbaijani ambassador Latif Gandilov and told him about the situation in the CSTO.

 

In Yerevan, Pashinyan nervously reacted to all of this, stating that Armenia has the right to demand explanations why the issues discussed at the closed meeting of the leaders of the military block became known to the representative of the state not included in this block, and why statements of a specific nature on the issue still to be resolved are voiced. He also said that he intends to discuss the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to reports, on the same day – on Saturday – a telephone conversation took place.

 

Pashinyan's statements were heard in Minsk, and the press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Glaz responded "to the verge of foul": "Apparently, the acting Prime Minister of Armenia imagines himself an international prosecutor authorized to punish or pardon … Perhaps, Mr. Pashinyan has not so far realized that the rules of the so-called street democracy are unacceptable in big politics."

 

Acting CSTO Secretary General Valery Semerikov, who may keep his duties until 2020 if the members of the alliance fail to reach a compromise solution, noted that some members of the organization doubt the effectiveness of the representative of Armenia in this post. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the CSTO charter does not spell out procedures related to revoking the organization's secretary general.

 

Yerevan, justifying its position on the replacement of the CSTO Secretary General, argues that it is right in its actions, because anything could happen to Khachaturov, and not just a court prosecution, and that it should not affect the distribution of posts in the CSTO. That is, the post of Secretary General should remain with Armenia until 2020.

 

One of the experts, on condition of anonymity, stated that the main issue for Armenia is relations with Russia, who is an unconditional leader in the CSTO. "It's difficult for Armenia, amid the unsettled conflict with Azerbaijan, to see a reliable ally, say, in Kazakhstan, whose leader has repeatedly acted from Baku's position on the Karabakh issue. It is much more important than the unpleasant statement made by the Belarusian press secretary who performed his official duties. Minsk is quite warm in its relations with Yerevan, no worse than with Baku, right up to the rumor about President Lukashenko's personal friendship with one of the leading Armenian politicians – Gagik Tsarukyan. It is also important to understand that Nikol Pashinyan still finds it difficult to orient in an interstate alliances. Subconsciously, other leaders do not perceive him as as "theirs." But it may change after the parliamentary elections in Armenia on December 8. From this point of view, the CSTO summit in St. Petersburg looks even more curious – if the heads of state will satisfy Armenia and agree to replace the Secretary General, it can be interpreted as international support for Pashinyan, and as a change in attitude towards him – that they are ready to recognize him as "theirs". Of course, a different decision can be made," said the source.

 

Translated from Russian