Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the CSTO – NA Speaker

YEREVAN, November 26. /ARКА/. Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the Russian-controlled Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), announced today National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan.

"In essence, we have already withdrawn from the CSTO. As for the remaining matters, we will leave that to our political discretion," Simonyan stated during a press briefing on Wednesday, in response to an inquiry regarding Armenia's lack of formal withdrawal from the CSTO.

In discussing the relationship with the CSTO, Simonyan raised the question of whether leaving the CSTO would imply an anti-Russian position.

"Let us move beyond labels. If you become a member of an organization, such as the Union of Journalists or the Union of Butchers, and that organization fails to meet its commitments, does your desire to exit make you anti-journalist?" Simonyan remarked.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan indicated today that Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO is not currently under consideration.

Armenia is not participating in the CSTO summit occurring in Bishkek on November 26-27. Nevertheless, prior to the summit, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov mentioned that "Armenian representatives have expressed that they do not oppose the adoption of the agreed-upon documents during the meeting."

The agenda for the CSTO summit includes the signing of around two dozen documents, which address not only military collaboration but also the battle against narcotics.

Regarding Yerevan's stance on the CSTO

In February 2024, Armenia declared the suspension of its membership in the CSTO and subsequently refused to pay membership dues to the organization. According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the CSTO hads not met its defense commitments to Armenia (particularly during 2021-2022, when Armenia faced Azerbaijani aggression on its territory) and poses threats to the nation's security, existence, sovereignty, and statehood.

In late June, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan stated that Armenia would reach a definitive conclusion regarding its CSTO membership if the member states of the organization, including Russia, failed to provide political statements concerning Azerbaijan's occupation of Armenia's sovereign territory. In response to an inquiry about when Armenia might opt to withdraw from the CSTO, the deputy minister remarked that Yerevan would assess the suitable timing and the expediency of such a decision..-0-