In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, touching upon the fact that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) convened a special session yesterday, but later it was announced that it has been postponed, former defense minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan said reaching a consensus for decisions in the CSTO is not that easy since different countries have different relations with Azerbaijan.

“I believe that the CSTO must find the strength inside and condemn Azerbaijan, which organized the provocation. Recently, Armenia has always touched upon confidence-building mechanisms and opportunities for monitoring in its messages about Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict addressed to not only the CSTO, but also the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The CSTO must unilaterally criticize Azerbaijan. Armenia doesn’t need to ask the CSTO for military aid. There are procedures for asking the CSTO for military aid, and the Armenian authorities can address the CSTO after holding the sessions of the Security Council and government, but this is not that kind of a situation. The Armenian armed forces have no problem with fighting against and defeating the Azerbaijani armed forces, as in the past,” the former defense minister declared.

As for the news that the Armenian side has seized a peak, Ohanyan said he doesn’t have any official information, “but the Armed Forces of Armenia always take preventative measures to impose the adversary to stop military operations”.