Both Russia and Armenia being members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has never aroused any concern in Azerbaijan, said Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. “At least the Azerbaijani authorities have not made any statements to this effect,” he said at the OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ news conference in Baku.

As to an impact the CSTO consolidation and Russian military aid to Armenia may have on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Merzlyakov pointed out that the agreement forming the CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces is aimed to struggle against terrorism, not to assist Armenia. “Therefore, we should not think this agreement reinforces Armenia,” Merzlyakov said.