13:17, 14 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is not leaving the CSTO, the organization itself is leaving Armenia, PM Nikol Pashinyan said when asked to comment on Armenia renouncing its quota of Deputy Secretary-General of the CSTO.

Pashinyan said that the CSTO Secretary General told him in 2022 that there are concerns within the organization that Armenia could leave it. Pashinyan said he found the comments to be inappropriate and conveyed the concerns in Armenia that the CSTO itself could withdraw from Armenia.

“My assessment is that the CSTO, willingly or unwillingly, is leaving the Republic of Armenia. And this worries us. We’ve not concealed anything that’s happened. We’d be happy to assume the position of the CSTO Deputy Secretary-General if we wouldn’t be sending the wrong message to our people by doing so, if it would mean ensuring an additional factor for the security of Armenia. If not, we don’t see sense in doing such step, at least from the logic of being honest with our people,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia has been working with the CSTO very consistently for a long time and continues doing so. He said that Armenia conveyed its principles to the organization. “It’s about whether or not the CSTO functions at least in the territory of Armenia, whether or not it exists. We are willing to face this question,” Pashinyan said.

He mentioned the fake news claiming that the Armenian government applied to the CSTO under a wrong article in 2022 amid the Azeri attacks so that the organization won’t be able to send help. “We applied to the CSTO under all possible articles,” Pashinyan said. “Our assessment isn’t that we are leaving the CSTO, our assessment is that the CSTO is leaving us, which is worrying,” Pashinyan said.