The key facts

  • The CSTO will consider the question of stripping Armenia of its voting rights in the organization
  • The formal reason is Yerevan's failure to fulfill its obligations regarding annual contributions to the budget
  • Earlier, Pashinyan stated that Armenia 'does not object to expulsion' from the CSTO and that Yerevan's interest in the bloc has dried up

CSTO may strip Armenia of its voting rights

The Collective Security Treaty Organization will consider the question of stripping Armenia of its voting rights in the organization. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose remarks were cited by RIA Novosti; the fact that such a discussion took place is reported by Gazeta.Ru. According to the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, at the meeting the parties discussed Armenia's failure to fulfill its obligations under the CSTO charter regarding annual contributions to the organization's budget.

Context: Yerevan is distancing itself from the bloc

The formal reason for the discussion — arrears in contributions — overlaps with a long-standing line taken by the Armenian side. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously stated that Yerevan's 'interest in the CSTO has dried up' and that the republic is no longer interested in the organization, and also that Armenia does not object to its own expulsion from it. Thus, the question of voting rights concerns a country whose leadership has itself been consistently moving away from the bloc.

What is the CSTO

The CSTO is a regional international structure created by several post-Soviet states to ensure collective security. Its key goals are strengthening peace, international and regional security and stability, as well as the collective defense of the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the member states. The publication does not say when and what final decision on Armenia will be made.