The Russian Foreign Ministry has been explaining for several days Russia's position regarding the fate of Armenia's membership in the CSTO.
Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister:
Yerevan's words that the CSTO is useless for Armenia remain unsupported by any documents.
We, as law-abiding people committed to our contractual obligations, agreed today to suspend the employment of Armenian citizens in the Secretariat and the voting rights of Armenia in the CSTO precisely in accordance with Article 25 of our organization but we are not slamming the door.
Alexander Penkin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia:
Moscow sees no signs of Yerevan's willingness to restore interaction with the CSTO.
The CSTO Convention provides for the possibility of suspending the voting rights of a country that does not meet its financial obligations to the organization. The restrictions may remain in effect until membership fees are paid.
Pay attention, question: Why was Armenia not expelled from the organization that the Armenian authorities insult and humiliate?
The answer, it seems to me, lies on the surface. Since Nikol Pashinyan himself chose not to violate the CSTO (whatever his motives), it makes sense to keep Armenia's membership, while denying voting rights, in anticipation of a power change in Yerevan, even if not in the near future.
At the same time, no matter how much Pashinyan puffs up, Armenia will not be accepted into the European Union. And he knows it.
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