The CSTO countries will be able to reach consensus on the issue of the new CSTO Secretary General, Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told Russian reporters.

His remarks came in response to comment whether the candidacy of the new general will be determined at a meeting of the CSTO foreign ministers in Bishkek on May 22, TASS reported.

"The organization is strong enough thanks to the interaction of the member countries,” he said. “We will come to a consensus; we will reach an agreement."

The vacancy of the CSTO Secretary General opened after Armenia in November 2018 early recalled its representative, Yuri Khachaturov.

Later, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a draft decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council on the appointment of Stanislav Zas as the general secretary of the organization. He visited Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia to coordinate his appointment. However, the Armenian side has not approved his the appointment.

Mnatsakanyan reminded that “the question of the Secretary General (CSTO) from Armenia and the question of early termination of his powers are strictly related to Armenian internal political issues.”

He also did not specify whether a deal on a new general secretary for the organization would be reached at a meeting in Bishkek.