CSTO nominates Belarus candidate for position of secretary general
23.05.2019,
12:14
A meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council of Foreign Ministers, held the day before in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, decided to nominate a representative of Belarus Stanislav Zasya for the position of CSTO Secretary General, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.
YEREVAN, May 23. /ARKA. A meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Council of Foreign Ministers, held the day before in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, decided to nominate a representative of Belarus Stanislav Zas for the position of CSTO Secretary General, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.
According to the press release, if approved by the leaders of the Organization’s member states, he will take up this position from January 1, 2020. At the same time, it was decided to develop and submit for consideration of the Council’s next meeting in autumn a set of amendments to the CSTO charter that regulate the early termination of powers by the Secretary General of the organization.
The previous secretary general of the Russia-led organization Yuri Khachaturov was sacked in 2018 November after being charged by Armenian authorities with involvement in a 2008 crackdown on opposition protesters in Yerevan.
Khachaturov’s three-year tenure was due to end in 2020.
Armenian government demanded that the position be given to another representative of Yerevan who should head it until that time.
However, the demand was rejected by other CSTO member states. The CSTO secretary general is appointed on a rotational basis in alphabetical order. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko nominated Stanislav Zas for the vacant post.
Zas’s candidacy was reportedly backed by Russia and all other members of the organization except for Armenia. Late last year Zas traveled to the capitals of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to meet with their presidents and reportedly secured their backing for his candidacy.
He was said to have expressed a desire to visit Yerevan as well, however, a spokesman for Armenian Prime Minister said the issue was not on government’s agenda. The CSTO includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. -0---
According to the press release, if approved by the leaders of the Organization’s member states, he will take up this position from January 1, 2020. At the same time, it was decided to develop and submit for consideration of the Council’s next meeting in autumn a set of amendments to the CSTO charter that regulate the early termination of powers by the Secretary General of the organization.
The previous secretary general of the Russia-led organization Yuri Khachaturov was sacked in 2018 November after being charged by Armenian authorities with involvement in a 2008 crackdown on opposition protesters in Yerevan.
Khachaturov’s three-year tenure was due to end in 2020.
Armenian government demanded that the position be given to another representative of Yerevan who should head it until that time.
However, the demand was rejected by other CSTO member states. The CSTO secretary general is appointed on a rotational basis in alphabetical order. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko nominated Stanislav Zas for the vacant post.
Zas’s candidacy was reportedly backed by Russia and all other members of the organization except for Armenia. Late last year Zas traveled to the capitals of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to meet with their presidents and reportedly secured their backing for his candidacy.
He was said to have expressed a desire to visit Yerevan as well, however, a spokesman for Armenian Prime Minister said the issue was not on government’s agenda. The CSTO includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. -0---
