Pashinyan refuses CSTO assistance to further blame Russia, says political scientist

Speaking with Alpha News, Russian political scientist Peter Kolchin on Yerevan’s refusal of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) assistance.

According to the expert, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan refuses CSTO’s support to further blame both the organization itself and Russia for the outcome of the Karabakh conflict.

“Pashinyan is playing a very difficult game, balancing between diplomatic normalization and maintaining stability in society. Of course, the Armenian community is very critical of all its attempts to resolve the Karabakh conflict because Pashinyan actually agrees to all Baku’s conditions, does not show any political will, and does not push through any decisions beneficial to Armenia and the Armenian people. Therefore, it is important for Pashinyan to leave room for maneuvers to shift responsibility to the CSTO.

This is how we can explain the refusal of CSTO’s assistance. If the CSTO intervened in this normalization and stability, the entire burden of responsibility for the events would fall on Pashinyan. This would completely bury Pashinyan’s political ambitions. But he is trying to maneuver between his own interests. Therefore, the refusal of CSTO’s assistance looks like a completely logical continuation of his diplomatic course regarding Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,” the expert said.

“The refusal of CSTO’s assistance means new additional risks for Armenia. These are threats even to the security of the country. But, apparently, his own political ambitions are most important for Pashinyan,” Kolchin concluded.