News - Secretary General: Armenia's decision to leave or stay in CSTO will be country's sovereign choice

The choice of the Armenian authorities to remain part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) or to leave the organization will reflect the sovereign choice of the country. CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov said this in an interview to Izvestia daily. "It is important to note that [the CSTO] member states adhere to the multi-vector policy of interaction with external players, which remains their sovereign right. Accordingly, Yerevan's choice whether to remain a part of the CSTO or to leave the organization will also be the sovereign decision of this independent state," said Tasmagambetov. Commenting on the possibility of a confrontation between Armenia and the CSTO amid the Armenian leadership’s statements about their wish to leave this organization and get closer to NATO, Tasmagambetov called such a scenario "no more than hypothetical." He noted, however, that "it is indispensable to take into account the resource base and real capabilities of the parties, so this issue, even if it cannot be considered extremely urgent at the moment, requires analysis." "The [CSTO] Secretariat analysts note that the balance of power in the South Caucasus may change if Armenia leaves the CSTO, but in this case regional security factors will operate, the impact of which is now quite difficult to predict and calculate," explained the CSTO Secretary General.