CSTO Ready to Send Monitors to Armenian-Azeri Border

ASTANA — The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is ready to send its observers to Armenia, this requires the decision of the Collective Security Council (CSC) of the association, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday.

“Immediately after Armenia asked to convene an extraordinary CSTO summit, it took place, it was decided to send the CSTO Secretary General, head of the Joint Staff to Armenia. They went there, brought recommendations, these recommendations have been in our hands for more than a month. They envisage sending a monitoring mission of CSTO observers to the territory of Armenia, to the border with Azerbaijan,” Lavrov said.

He noted that the only thing that is required is the decision of the Collective Security Council, which must be convened by the [rotating] chairman of the organization, he told Mirzoyan. “Namely, the Republic of Armenia. As soon as you have free time, we will be ready to formally approve this mission and it will be able to get to work.”

Lavrov proposed to consider the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, taking into account the latest contacts of the leaders in Europe.

“I know that just recently there were contacts in Europe,” he said, clearly referring to last week’s Armenian-Azerbaijani summit in Prague. “Mass media are full of various rumors and speculations.”

“It would be important to look today at what else we should do to ensure that the trilateral statements adopted by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020 and January 11 and November 26, 2020 are implemented faster,” Lavrov added in his opening remarks at the talks.

“Russia is ready to contribute to the implementation of trilateral agreements between Baku, Yerevan and Moscow, to discuss what else needs to be done,” Lavrov said.

Mirzoyan also pointed to the recent flurry of diplomatic activity by the United States and the European Union which has prompted Russian criticism.

“There are many parties that are offering mediation efforts and it is very important for us to know Russia’s position on these issues,” he said. “We want to feel Russia’s support and move forward in the spirit of the trilateral agreements to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.”

Mirzoyan said Yerevan specifically expects Moscow’s “clear position” on the September 13-14 hostilities during which Azerbaijani forces attacked and seized Armenian positions at various sections of the border.