CSTO Secretary General: Armenia remains an ally

Armenia remains an ally of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the bloc’s Secretary General, Imangali Tasmagambetov, has said.

In an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, the CSTO Secretary General said that the “doors are open” for Armenia’s full participation. In February 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia had frozen its membership in the CSTO, citing the organization’s failure to fulfill its obligations to Armenia. Armenia has since been skipping CSTO events and summits.

“Armenia has been and remains our ally. We hope that in the foreseeable future Armenia will return to full participation in the CSTO. All the necessary conditions and prerequisites for this exist. We believe that the Armenian people are interested in creating a common security space in Eurasia. Moreover, in November, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the issue of the republic’s withdrawal from the CSTO is not on the agenda,” Tasmagambetov said in response to a question about the possible withdrawal of Armenia from the CSTO.

He referred to a statement by Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan, who said that withdrawing from the CSTO is not on the agenda for now.

“As is known, the Republic of Armenia has suspended its activities within the organization, which reflects the current position of Armenia’s political leadership regarding the CSTO. This is a decision of an independent and sovereign state, and no other state or organization can influence it,” the CSTO Secretary General added.