Whose Side Are You On: CSTO or Armenia? Mirzoyan to Rustamyan

Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan participated in the meeting of the Permanent Commission on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. MP Armen Rustamyan from the "Armenia" faction asked him a question regarding a program approved by the National Assembly, which states one thing while doing something entirely different, or conversely.

"How do you comment on the situation with the CSTO, considering that the CSTO is viewed as a crucial link in Armenia's security system, and the Government will continue to be actively involved in the operations of the CSTO, yet your report states that activity has been frozen?" asked the MP.

In response, Ararat Mirzoyan said that he was presenting the 2023 report on the Government Program for 2021-2026. "Yes, I am presenting the 2023 report on the Government Program for 2021-2026. I believe some partners will assess the performance according to the relevant program, while others will assess it as inadequate based on political bias. It is axiomatic for any average statistical country that there are some things that, no matter how hard you try, you cannot implement. Events have occurred that have made it impossible to accomplish certain tasks. Due to circumstances, we have not participated in the CSTO in the way we presented in the National Assembly in 2021. Our borders have been violated - the CSTO has not responded. The public acknowledgment that the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia has been infringed upon has not even occurred. Mr. Rustamyan, whose side are you on, the CSTO's or Armenia's?" said Mirzoyan.

In reply, Rustamyan stated, "I am on the side of the National Assembly. In a parliamentary country, when a program is adopted, the Government is obliged to implement that program."