Member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) have agreed to consider applying relevant provisions of the bloc’s charter to Armenia over its failure to pay contributions for two years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated.
At a press conference following a meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers, he said Armenia remains formally a full member of the organisation, noting that it continues to be represented symbolically, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.
“Armenia once again did not participate in CSTO events, although it remains formally a full-fledged member [of the organisation]… and the Armenian national flag is present here alongside the flags of other states,” he noted.
According to him, on June 7, the very day of elections in Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, when asked about the CSTO, said Armenia was not paying contributions because they simply are not participating.
“What should be done in this situation? We discussed it today. Armenia has had arrears to the CSTO budget for more than two years. This is a situation covered by the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. Today we agreed to look into the application of the relevant article of the CSTO Charter,” Lavrov added.
Under CSTO rules, if a member state fails to pay its contributions for two years, its right to nominate candidates for quota positions is suspended, and its voting rights are revoked until the debt is fully repaid.
In cases of repeated violations, a country may be excluded or have its participation limited, with decisions taken without its vote.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
