The Collective Security Treaty (CSTO) is concerned over frequent armed incidents at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, CSTO Spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov said on Tuesday after CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas’ meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
“Naturally, we think that the incidents at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border you are talking about are a threat to Armenia’s security. As for the ways to resolve the problem, we think that possibilities for a political solution to this situation have not been exhausted. As a matter of fact, it would be the best option for all,” the spokesman quoted Zas as saying.
According to Zas, the current tensions tell adversely on Armenia’s security and the security situation in the CSTO zone of responsibility in general. These tensions hamper the implementation of peace agreements reached by the Russia, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021.
“Stanislav Zas also stressed that one of the CSTO’s key priorities is to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states,” Zainetdinov said.
Zas and Pashinyan discussed preparations for the CSTO events scheduled for September, including a Collective Security Council session and a joint meeting of the CSTO foreign and defense ministers in Dushanbe, and Armenia’s forthcoming presidency in the organization. “In this context, the secretary general shared information about the preparations for the meetings and stressed Armenia’s active and committed position in the CSTO,” Zainetdinov said, adding that Zas recalled that 2022 will be a jubilee year. “We plan to sign a resolution on a plan of events on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization,” Zas was quoted as saying.
Apart from that, it is planned to sign a number of other documents, including a CSTO Collective Security Council declaration, the spokesman added.
TASS
