The CSTO Collective Security Council may decide next week to strip Armenia of its voting rights within the organization. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told TASS.
“Armenia has not paid its membership fees for more than two years, so the issue may be discussed and a decision made to temporarily suspend its membership or, more precisely, deprive it of voting rights until the membership fees are paid. This is a purely technical matter provided for by the relevant article of the Charter,” he said.
According to Pankin, Russia currently holds the CSTO presidency and is responsible for the organization’s agenda. He said that a CSTO summit would be held in the coming days, preceded by a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers, defense ministers and secretaries of security councils.
“Armenia’s issue may not be the most important one, but it could be the most interesting to the public. After all, the CSTO is essentially about cooperation, as well as shared challenges and goals,” Pankin stressed.
Asked whether Armenia’s issue would be discussed during the events scheduled for next week, the Russian deputy foreign minister replied: “It is quite likely that it will be discussed, although that depends on whether the other parties agree to include it on the agenda. I think the issue will be addressed.”
The next meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council is scheduled for November 11 in Moscow.
