"We will take note": Pashinyan on the possible exclusion of Armenia from the CSTO
Armenia will take note of a possible decision by member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to exclude the republic from the organization.
This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
"I know that there is a mechanism for exclusion from the CSTO, and it is in effect. If the member states decide to exclude Armenia, we will have to take this decision into account. We will not be able to do anything else," the head of government said.
Earlier, on June 8, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that the republic has not paid its membership fee to the CSTO for the second year in a row, since it is not actually participating in the organization's activities.
Commenting on the situation on June 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that Armenia, while remaining a formal member of the CSTO, is simultaneously actively developing cooperation with NATO countries, participating in joint military exercises, and purchasing weapons from states that are part of the alliance.
According to Article 20 of the CSTO Charter, if a member state does not pay off its debt to the organization's budget within two years, the Collective Security Council may decide to suspend its right to nominate candidates for quota positions, as well as deprive it of the right to vote in the organization's bodies until the debt is fully repaid.
Recall that since January 1, 2024, Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO.
On April 23 of this year, Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan does not intend to resume active participation in the organization's work.
The issue of relations between Armenia and the CSTO was also discussed on April 1 at a meeting between Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The Russian leader then stated that on the issue of Armenia's claims against the CSTO, it is necessary to "put an end" and not use this topic in domestic political struggle.
Source: Sputnik Armenia
