Armenia can return to the CSTO if Pashinyan pays off the debt, says Alexander Mikhailov

Alexander Mikhailov, head of the Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, spoke to Alpha News about the decision to strip Armenia of its voting rights in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) over unpaid membership dues.

“Armenia, in fact, has not yet left the CSTO and remains a member of the organization. The complaints against the republic stem from the fact that it has not paid the membership dues required by the charter for two years. Under Article 25 of the CSTO Charter, a state that fails to meet its financial obligations may be deprived of the right to vote at the organization’s events, as well as of the ability to send its representatives to its governing bodies. The decision was made collectively, with all CSTO member states voting in favor. However, no one has expelled Armenia from the organization. It still has the opportunity to pay off its debt and restore full participation in the organization’s work,” the expert noted.

According to Mikhailov, much in relations between Armenia and the CSTO will depend on the proposals that European partners, primarily France and the United Kingdom, make to Pashinyan.

“I think this gives Pashinyan an additional opportunity to maneuver and play a political game on several fronts at once. He is not ending the dialogue with Russia. Let me remind you that the Russian military presence in Armenia remains, bilateral cooperation continues, and our countries have fairly well-developed ties, above all between our citizens. So I believe Pashinyan has the opportunity to pay off the debt by the beginning of next year and return to full participation in the CSTO. However, much will depend on what proposals his European partners, primarily France and the United Kingdom, make to him before the New Year. If these proposals prove more attractive to him, I think he will not restore full membership in the organization. But time will tell,” Alexander Mikhailov said.