Prime Minister Prioritizes Prevention of Any Provocation and Exchange of Prisoners and Bodies of the Deceased at CSTO Meeting

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in an online meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council. The meeting also included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan’s Acting President Talant Mamytov, and CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas.

In his address, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted: “Dear Chair, esteemed colleagues, distinguished CSTO Secretary General, I am pleased to welcome you to today’s meeting, which summarizes the presidency of the Russian Federation in our organization. The priorities of the Russian presidency were aimed at addressing the urgent issues of CSTO development and improving our cooperation. We are grateful for the work done during this challenging time for all of us.”

“I would also like to thank Stanislav Vasilyevich Zas and the entire CSTO Secretariat for organizing today’s remote meeting and, in general, for the work carried out under pandemic conditions. And, of course, taking this opportunity, I would like to welcome the Acting President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Talant Mamytov, who is participating in our organization’s meeting for the first time.”

“Dear friends, the last two months have been a period of resisting aggression for the Armenian people. Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey and mercenaries recruited from the Middle East, unleashed war against the Armenian people. As you know, thanks to the mediating efforts of the Russian Federation, it became possible to cease the hostilities and agree on measures to decrease the tension. For more than three weeks now, military operations have ceased. Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the conflict zone. However, we still have a number of urgent issues.”

“First and foremost, it is the exchange of prisoners of war, hostages, and other detained individuals, as well as the bodies of the deceased and clarifying the fate of the missing. These are issues that cannot be delayed. The Armenian side is ready to intensify its actions to accelerate this process and increase its effectiveness. At the same time, it is necessary to exclude violence against prisoners of war and incidents that violate their dignity.”

“The second issue is creating conditions for the return of the people of Artsakh to their homes and the restoration of normal life in Nagorno-Karabakh. People should be confident that they are safe and can continue living on their land. Several tens of thousands of Artsakh residents have already returned to their homes, and we are making every effort to assist our compatriots.”

“Moreover, it is essential to take measures to protect the cultural and religious monuments of the Armenian people located in areas occupied by Azerbaijani forces. Finally, it is vital to ensure the safe operation of transport communications. It is necessary to exclude any provocation and create normal conditions for the operation of infrastructures necessary for the livelihoods of the people of Artsakh.”

“All the measures I mentioned, including the unblocking of all economic and transport links in the region, are essential to establish a solid foundation for long-lasting and reliable peace.”

“Dear colleagues, the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed along the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh and connecting Artsakh and Armenia via the Lachin corridor today serves as the guarantor of peace and security in this region. In this regard, I want to emphasize the exceptional role of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Throughout the 44 days of military operations, we have been in constant communication and discussed necessary steps to halt bloodshed and protect human lives.”

“We are still closely working with Vladimir Vladimirovich today to solve issues such as the search for the missing, the exchange of prisoners, detainees, and the bodies of the deceased.”

“At the end of my address, I want to congratulate Tajikistan on assuming the presidency of the CSTO. I want to assure that Armenia is committed to jointly implementing active work toward realizing Tajikistan’s presidential priorities. Thank you for your attention.”

During the meeting, a series of issues related to allied cooperation within the organization and the continuous enhancement of CSTO effectiveness were discussed. Ideas were exchanged on current regional and international security issues.