YEREVAN. – In an interview with a local TV program, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan referred to the role of the CSTO amid the current Armenian-Azerbaijani tension.

To the question whether the CSTO should have been petitioned to in order for it to become more actively involved in this process, the minister answered: "We have various international formats, one of which is the CSTO. We are a CSTO member. It is an international format of our cooperation, and we have our functions. When we say ‘using all international formats,’ it means using, it means working, evaluating in a proportionate way where, how you work.

And in that sense, in fact, we did not ask, at that moment we did not consider it necessary to do more than immediately inform the [other] CSTO member countries about the developments that have been taking place since July 12. We have fulfilled this function and will continue to work within the CSTO, in the sense that this is the platform of our cooperation. We will use all possible tools in our hands to make that platform serve our main goal, which, above all, refers to that function of maintaining stability, ensuring stability in the region."

To the observation that there is no country that will support Armenia with the same unconditionally as Turkey supports Azerbaijan, the minister answered: "In fact, there is, but I will look at this issue in a slightly different context because such an assessment is at a more emotional, superficial level, and it turns into a sport of who supports whom how, or does not support.

The other issue is much deeper, which refers to the important signals expressed by the [OSCE Minsk Group] Co-Chairs. It is the platform, the format that is recognized by the international community as the main platform for the peace process, and that mandate is given to the three Co-Chairs by the international community. Their position has received widespread support from the international community, which is expressed in a number of ways—both from individual states, the OSCE, the EU, and the UN Secretary-General. The main essence of this position, which is expressed in their statement, refers to a very important principle: to restore stability, to restore the ceasefire, to exclude threat and the ‘language’ of threat, to exclude maximalism, and to work—in the context of the peace process—on solutions that are necessary to achieve that corresponding compromise balance. This position is more important for us than getting involved in any ‘sport’ and assessing how Turkey supported Azerbaijan more, and Armenia—less."