Today we are in a situation where there is some disappointment regarding the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in an interview with CNN Prima News television, within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic.
“The Collective Security Treaty Organization is the main mechanism by which the Republic of Armenia was supposed to ensure its security. But during the aggressions undertaken by Azerbaijan in May and November 2021 and September 2022, the inadequate response of the Collective Security Treaty Organization has caused some disappointment, first of all, among the people of Armenia, because there was some confidence that the Collective Security Treaty is a reliable security mechanism.
“But it did not happen, and this was also the reason why we did not consider it possible to establish a consensus on a number of fundamental documents during the CSTO Yerevan summit. But I want us to look at the issue from the opposite side as well, because it is also harmful for the organization, because, in fact, what happened with Armenia in the period I mentioned, is first of all a blow to the reputation of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. In other words, this will also have certain consequences for the organization itself,” Pashinyan added.
To the CNN Prima News reporters remark that, “at the summit in Yerevan last November, when you refused to sign the document, and Mr. Lukashenko was shocked, and Mr. Putin was obviously angry,” the Armenian PM responded as follows: “These are working situations, and after that a working lunch was held, and we discussed the current state of affairs and how we can overcome the situation in a calm, respectful atmosphere.”
To the question, “How is your personal relationship with Vladimir Putin? He seems like a very cold person, almost emotionless,” Pashinyan responded: “In general, I must say that the impressions seen from the screens, the impressions of real life, the complications that we are experiencing and the difficult periods that we are in, are actually different layers. And yes, our communication with the President of the Russian Federation has been very intense and continues to be intense.
“We will meet at least 2 times this month. And I must say that it is both a personal contact, a political contact, and a working contact. Another thing is that, especially now, we do not discuss much, or we hardly discuss the issues that are not related to the agenda of our bilateral relations or our regional agenda. I will tell you something honestly: Armenia has too many problems to bear the problems of the wider region and parts of the world on its shoulders. Unfortunately, our concerns are more than enough, and in our relations with the European Union, the United States and Russia, we are trying to solve the problems of our agenda, which, as you can see, unfortunately, is not always successful.”
