Meeting Between Pashinyan and Zas Takes Place: Details

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Stanislav Zas. Pashinyan welcomed Zas' visit to Armenia and stated, “We highly value our membership in the CSTO. The CSTO is one of the key elements of Armenia’s security system, which has a broad zone of responsibility. Unfortunately, the tension is increasing in quite a few places. Therefore, we are preparing very seriously for our presidency in the organization, related not only to the challenges that have emerged recently in terms of the security of the Republic of Armenia, but also in a broader context.

I believe that the challenges currently present in the CSTO’s zone of responsibility must be overcome honorably, and we must solve the problems. Of course, I want to draw attention to the fact that the CSTO is, first and foremost, an organization that solves problems through political methods. It is indeed a military-political organization, but primarily, it is also stipulated by its charter and other normative documents that we must exert maximum efforts to resolve the situations, disagreements, and challenges occurring in the CSTO's area of responsibility through political methods. I believe that the organization has great potential to address the emerging problems through political methods. We must also show a certain determination regarding these issues. Of course, specific mechanisms for action are also envisaged in particular situations.

You know that, unfortunately, there has been a crisis situation along the borders of Armenia for already 2-3 months, which poses a specific threat to the security of the Republic of Armenia. Unfortunately, Azerbaijani armed forces have been illegally present in our territory for several months. Naturally, there has been much discussion regarding the CSTO's response to this situation. I must say that, for the first time, we are facing a specific situation of this nature within the CSTO, and we must study the situation very carefully in order to later raise the effectiveness of the CSTO mechanisms. In this respect, I believe that your visit is also very important.

In this context, we are taking our presidency very seriously and we are preparing for it. In this situation, it is important for us to find a political solution to the existing issues, for which there are all possibilities. It is necessary to adequately apply the mechanisms that exist within the CSTO.

On the other hand, I must say that the position of the Republic of Armenia regarding the regional agenda is constructive. The Republic of Armenia is, of course, committed to implementing the agreements fixed in the statements of November 9 and January 11. It is very important for us to create the necessary conditions and arrive at specific solutions regarding the opening of regional communications. It is crucial that we truly start the process of demarcation and delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan. Of course, specific conditions must be created for that. I hope and am confident that there are indeed opportunities for this crisis situation, which has arisen on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the Sotk-Khoznavar section, to be resolved through political methods. I expect that within the framework of the CSTO, we will manage to arrive at concrete solutions, particularly concerning the monitoring of the situation. This is a matter for which concrete decisions must be made and work must be done on concrete mechanisms.

The Prime Minister added that they have many topics for discussion and expressed confidence that all issues would be discussed and specific conclusions would be reached.

CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, for his part, noted, “Dear Nikol Vovayi, I am sincerely happy to see you; the last time we met was in February of last year. To be honest, it feels like that was in another life; so many events have occurred during this past year and a half. A week and a half after that meeting, the pandemic began, lockdown was introduced, and then the trials that Armenia had to endure ensued: the war, casualties. At that time, we did not even imagine that such severe trials awaited us in the future, with public depression following.

The most recent event in Armenia's socio-political life is the parliamentary elections, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your victory in those elections. We followed with concern; there was a tough political struggle, but thank God everything passed peacefully and normally, and there are no doubts, which is very important. It's crucial for building normal life in the country; I am very glad that life is starting to get organized, and people's moods are changing. It seems that the right decision was made to break the situation through those elections, giving people the opportunity to express themselves. I am glad that the economy is thriving and is not developing poorly. Therefore, there are two important conditions for the country to develop.

Of course, there are problems, and as you rightly pointed out, not only here. Within the CSTO, we are also discussing problems in other areas of the CSTO's zone of responsibility. Over this year, the situation has not improved; it also concerns the Afghan direction: Tajikistan-Afghanistan. You know what is happening there. Unfortunately, the process of the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan has ended, and the situation has begun to deteriorate sharply and very quickly. Nobody was expecting that. There were border violations, both by military personnel and refugees, although this does not have a mass character yet. The situation is being controlled by the Tajik border guards and military personnel, but there are serious concerns regarding this region.

You remember there was a conflict at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border during this year, unfortunately, people died there, several dozen people, including children. Thank God the situation there was resolved, thanks to the efforts of the two presidents, but the heavy situation remains. There are disputed issues related to enclaves, which cause tensions and clashes. Toward the West, I would not say that the situation in Belarus has significantly improved. The situation has stabilized, but there is an ongoing socio-political crisis. The pressures on the authorities from the West are intensifying, and today serious sanctions have been announced by the US as well.

Of course, all this negatively impacts our countries. You have already emphasized the problems that are shaping the situation in the Caucasus region. You have drawn attention to the crisis situation at the border. I was there today; I visited a motorized rifle regiment and its subdivisions. To be honest, I see that there is no border right now; it is effectively a line of armed confrontation, and clashes and skirmishes break out there periodically. Of course, this should not be the case. Everything should be done, and everyone should do their part to overcome this crisis.

I know that you are currently developing a government program, I don’t want to give advice, but I believe this should be one of the primary, global tasks of the government—to overcome this crisis to ensure security at the border, so that we can allow our children to live in safety within that border, not at the frontier of military confrontations. I am confident that with such resilience and experience, you will solve this through diplomatic-political means. Enough of the casualties, enough of the wars; everything must be done to solve the problems peacefully. I am confident that this will be successful. We have discussed this issue quite extensively, both in May, at the level of foreign ministers, and there is a general understanding that everything must be done to bring the parties to the negotiating table and resolve the issues.