During discussions about the state budget for 2019, RPA deputy asked Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan about future developments in the CSTO.
Mnatsakanyan answered that he closely is following the debates that deal with the CSTO, but it is necessary to understand what the CSTO is and what the Secretary General does. He said that the CSTO is a platform that six sovereign nations are a part of where the secretary position was established to serve the member states and to help the collaborations between nations take place more effectively. “The focus is on the member states and their sovereignty. They wonder if Armenia is withdrawing or not from its leadership position. The leadership of CSTO is in Kazakhstan, then they will be in Kyrgyzstan. As far as Yuri Khachaturov goes as a representative of Armenia, Khachaturov does not represent Armenia. Armenia’s representative is Davit Virabyan.
Mnatsakanyan said that the developments regarding the March 1st case that deal with Yuri Khachaturov resulted in a situation which came from our own legislation. He also said that the problem is that the CSTO’s laws and processes do not govern or resolve such situations.
He said that this needs to be resolved. “We have two problems to solve. The first one deals with resolving processes, and the second is nominating a new candidate for Secretary General. In any case, the organization’s development is ensured. The process of recalling has reaching its resolution.
A session will soon take place in the CSTO and all of these issues will be discussed on a higher level.
Hripsime Jebejyan
