What Obligations Does the CSTO Have Towards Armenia? ‘Hayastani Zhoghovurd’

Armenia has officially appealed to the CSTO, but not under Article 4 (on aggression against a state), but rather under Article 2 (on the threat of aggression and danger). The ‘Hayastani Zhoghovurd’ newspaper has examined the rules regarding membership in the CSTO and discovered that, according to Article 2 of the agreement, CSTO member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan) are obligated to take measures to support Armenia.

According to point 3.6 of the CSTO’s regulations on responding to crisis situations, as well as the procedure for making collective decisions on the use of CSTO forces and resources, the council of defense ministers of CSTO member states, along with the council of security secretaries, is required to present a plan of action to the council of heads of state within three days. This plan should address:

• the readiness to demonstrate force through the deployment of troops in the territory of the member state,
• the prevention or repulsion of armed attacks threatening the stability, security, or territorial integrity of the member state,
• the prevention, cessation, and counteraction of violent actions within the member state,
• the response to other threats, challenges, and emergencies.

Moreover, according to Article 4 of the CSTO Charter, if one of the participating states is subjected to an armed attack (an armed attack threatening security, stability, territorial integrity, and sovereignty), it will be perceived as an attack (armed attack threatening security, stability, territorial integrity, and sovereignty) by all participating countries under the current agreement. However, Armenia's appeal is being made under the second article.