CSTO did not discuss expelling Armenia, secretary general says

The CSTO Council meeting did not discuss the possibility of expelling Armenia from the organization, the bloc’s Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov has said.

Speaking to reporters, Masadykov also commented on the application of Article 25 of the CSTO Charter to Armenia.

“The issue of expelling Armenia from the CSTO was not on the agenda. When Armenia decides to settle its outstanding membership fee payments, it will restore its full participation in the CSTO’s activities, both in terms of seconding personnel and participating in the organization’s work. The decision rests with Armenia’s leadership. Over the past three years, Armenia has neither paid its membership fees nor sent personnel to the CSTO Secretariat or the Joint Staff. In fact, although Armenia has technically been present at Permanent Council meetings, it has not participated in any discussions or contributed to the work in any way. As a result, the issue of applying Article 25 of the CSTO Charter has been placed on the agenda. This article essentially describes the very situation that has been unfolding in practice for almost three years,” the CSTO Secretary General said.

Masadykov also added that in the past, Armenia and the Armenian people had made a very positive and constructive contribution to the CSTO's work.

At the CSTO Council meeting held in Moscow on November 11, a decision was made to deprive Armenia of its voting rights, as well as its right to nominate candidates for quota-based positions.

Armenia announced in February 2024 that it was freezing its participation in the CSTO's activities.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently said that Armenia's interests related to the CSTO had been exhausted.