Pashinyan: CSTO Creates Threats To Armenia's Security And Sovereignty
- 18.09.2024, 11:43
The Prime Minister of Armenia announced the approach of the “point of no return”.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan believes that the CSTO creates threats to the security and sovereignty of the country, and relations with the organization are close to the point of no return. He stated this during the World Armenian Summit. Earlier, the head of the Armenian government repeatedly stated that Armenia had frozen its membership in the CSTO.
“We froze our membership in the CSTO not only because the CSTO does not fulfill its security obligations towards Armenia, but also because, in our opinion, the CSTO creates threats to Armenia's security and its future existence, the sovereignty and statehood of Armenia. And we froze our membership in the CSTO,” he said, Armenpress reports.
“There are many discussions about whether Armenia is trying or thinking about returning to the CSTO. We will fully restore our activities in the CSTO only if specific answers are given to the questions we have asked. Two years have passed since our request, and not only have the answers not been heard, but it is already obvious that they will not be heard. Or, although it is not obvious, I can say that until these answers are heard and they are not convincing, Armenia is moving further and further away from the CSTO with every passing second.
There is a phrase in aviation called “the point of no return”. If we have not yet passed this point, then there is a high probability that if this situation continues, we will pass this point of no return. No one will have legal grounds or reasons to blame us for this,” Pashinyan explained.
Speaking about Armenia’s security, the Prime Minister said that the previous security architecture had proven ineffective.
“We thought that we could live in a region with closed borders, speak as we wish, and our allies, distant or close, would ensure our security. However, it turned out that third countries can act as they wish in their own interests. Therefore, the number one security guarantee is peace,” he noted.
According to Pashinyan, the country must rely on its own strength, which is why it is reforming the army. He stressed that he expects to resolve all territorial disputes through peaceful settlement, not by force.
“The Republic of Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of all countries in the region, there are no territorial claims from any country to us. Yes, we have occupied territories, more than 200 square kilometers, but the RA government does not set the task of returning these territories by military means, since we believe that the resolution signed with Azerbaijan on border demarcation works, provides an opportunity and it is likely that we will resolve this problem through negotiations,” he said, News.am reports.
The Armenian Prime Minister, despite his position on the CSTO, does not intend to sever economic ties with the EAEU countries, although the composition of the organizations largely coincides.
“Armenia does not have the task of reducing the volume of trade or breaking economic ties with Russia and the EAEU,” he said.
According to him, Yerevan intends to increase trade with both the EAEU and the European Union, diversifying its trade. He also believes that Armenia should not miss the chance to join the EU.
“When we see that there is a more or less real opportunity to join the EU, we will not miss the moment,” he said.