Isn’t CSTO interested in combat operations taking place in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border?
A few days ago, on the background of the tensions in Armenian-Azerbaijani border contact line, the Azerbaijani media publicized remarkable information. “With regard to tension of the situation in the Armenian-Azerbaijani armed forces’ contact-line, the Air Force planes of Azerbaijan are flying along the contact line,” reports Azerbaijani media, meanwhile, adding that the above mentioned information was confirmed by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s press service.
On every occasion, when the CSTO Secretary General, Nikolay Bordyuzha, is asked a question about the CSTO response regarding security defense of Armenia, Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements and the possibility of outbreak of the conflict, he constantly makes statements that few steps are initiated with the Armenian partners, so that the force structures could efficiently ensure the safety, if necessary.
Of course, the CSTO Secretary General is always stating that a military solution to the Karabakh conflict does not exist, that they are aware of the situation, following the developments, however, because the OSCE Minsk Group has assumed the role of the conflict settlement, CSTO is against that anyone, or any other organization interferes in this matter.
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Last summer, late June, Bordyuzha and the Secretary of RA National Security Council, Arthur Baghdasaryan, signed an agreement of 20 clauses on enhancement of RA-CSTO relations. After signing the agreement, answering the questions raised by the journalists, A. Baghdasaryan noted that this agreement provides a wide range of complex measures for our security system, moreover, not only bilaterally, but also between Armenia and other CSTO member states. It became known that the air force in Armenia will be expanded, and not only the air force, but the air defense system will be modernized and equipped, Russian Military Base #102, the Russian frontier division will be also rearmed.
On the same day, Bordyuzha, referring to the question of Russia’s selling of weapons to Azerbaijan, noted “The means that are initiated by Armenia for insuring its security, and the fact that Russia and the CSTO are always helping Armenia in this matter in terms of intensive supplying of military equipment, border troops and # 102 military base, and as an assistance, supplying of appropriate equipment, and joint training drills, all of these prove that Armenia has very high level of protection, and multi-echelon system of security of our country enables us to look ahead calmly and deal with socio -economic problems of the country.”
The question of what actions CSTO will take if the conflict situation in the Karabakh front worsens was given to Bordyuzha for many times, he is endlessly repeating that Armenia is CSTO full member and can use its right to receive assistance from its partners directed to collective security. “The CSTO has not only power, but also political potential to influence the situation. If necessary, Armenia will receive all necessary assistance as a full member of the organization.”
In case of non-friendly moves against Armenia, all the CSTO member states will support official Yerevan, asserted the CSTO Secretary General in summer 2012 during Moscow-Kiev-Astana- Chişinău TV spacebridge. To add that the Article 4 of CSTO treaty stipulates, “If one of the Member States undergoes aggression (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty), it will be considered by the Member States as aggression (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) to all the Member States of this Treaty. In case of aggression commission (armed attack menacing to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) to any of the Member States, all the other Member States at request of this Member State shall immediately provide the latter with the necessary help, including military one.”
How it happens that CSTO is not responding, in any way, to the combat operations taking place on Armenia-Azerbaijan border, resulting in bombardment of Armenian settlements, one civilian was wounded, and when repelling the subversive attack executed by an adversary at Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani border, a junior sergeant, Armen Hovhannisyan, was killed. CSTO not only failed making any statement regarding combat operations happened at Armenian-Azerbaijani border, moreover, it appears that this organization was unaware of the latest events.
Recently, the “Liberty” RFE/RL got in touch with CSTO spokesman, Vladimir Zaynetdinov, asking about his opinion regarding ongoing armed conflicts between a Treaty member state Armenia and non-member Azerbaijan, which results in losses from the Armenian side. Zaynetdinov said that he is the first time learning about the armed conflict from “Liberty” RFE/RL, and consequently he can not express any opinion, as well as can not convey what they think in the CSTO in this regard. And, this is in the case when, in 2010, according to the Russian-Armenian military agreement, the term for the presence of Russian military base in our country was extended till 2044, and in Moscow, in fact, assumed the protection for all borders of Armenia.
The matter is about the information asserted by official Baku that the Azerbaijani Air Force planes are flying along the contact line. In other words, Armenia’s “strategic ally” not only fails to execute its contractual obligations, but does is not aware of what’s going on in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. And, we are still surprised that other member states of the Customs Union, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which are also CSTO members, raise question to Armenia regarding Nagorno-Karabakh issues.
What are the CSTO and Nikolay Bordyuzha busy with… The answer to this question, perhaps, was given last month during the CSTO round-table discussions. CSTO is engaged in reaction of “color revolutions” organized in CIS countries by the West, informed the Russian “Kommersant” newspaper, on December 20. Round-table participants concluded that “Russia’s Western adversaries” through international organizations are manipulating monitoring of the elections, are heavily influencing on Internet users, and are forming a distorted picture of public sentiments through NGOs and the media. Round-table participants recommended CSTO to elaborate “counter-propaganda mechanisms,” and to the Russia not to be ashamed of influencing on domestic political life of neighboring countries. As a result of discussion, it was decided to make a list of recommendation to counteract external interventions and “color revolutions”, which will be sent to the leaders of CSTO member countries. In particular, CSTO will offer “to block negative information that contributes to exacerbating tensions within the country, which is the source of the revolution.” It is noteworthy that the round-table meeting was headed by CSTO Secretary General, Nikolay Bordyuzha.
Emma GABRIELYAN
