Appointment of an Armenian representative in the position of CSTO Secretary General was postponed due to Russia-Belarus discordances: Tarasov
“Appointment of an Armenian representative in the position of CSTO Secretary General isn’t an issue,” Stanislav Tarasov, columnist at Regnum news agency, Russian analyst, told 168.am, reflecting to CSTO summit in St. Petersburg. President Serzh Sargsyan paid a working visit to St. Petersburg to take part in the meetings of CSTO Collective Security Council and Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.
Two months ago, during the Yerevan summit, it was planned that an Armenian representative will assume the position of the Secretary General of the military-political alliance upon a rotation order, however, by the end of the session it became known that the issue hadn’t been touched upon. President Sargsyan stated that the issue will be discussed in St. Petersburg.
However, Nikolay Bordyuzha, CSTO Secretary General, informed by the end of the summit, that the issue was postponed and will be discussed during the forthcoming meeting scheduled in April. Earlier Dmitry Peskov, RF presidential spokesman, touching upon the St. Petersburg meeting, claimed that it will be discussed and candidacies of a few people are being touched upon. It should also be stated that procedure of rotation change has been defined, according to which after Bordyuzha appointment of an Armenian representative has been considered.
Stanislav Tarasov said, that postponement of that appointment should be observed in the axis of Russia-Belarus disagreements. “Firstly, let me state that this time the issue was postponed again, as Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, didn’t participate in EEU and CSTO meetings, and for the appointment of a Secretary General it’s important to have a quorum, which wasn’t provided.
At the same time, the issue isn’t the Armenian representative, but recently serious issues have emerged between Moscow and Minsk. Those issues relate to the crisis in Ukraine, then Belarus intends to raffle national elements, authorities of Belarus have arrested Russian bloggers, thus, restricting their activity.
These steps by Minsk have caused certain issues in Minsk-Moscow relations. In this case, appointment of an Armenian representative instead of Bordyuzha isn’t an issue, this is coincidence of circumstances, however, let me repeat again, that the issue isn’t Armenia. There are no disagreements around the representative from Armenia, there are bilateral disagreements,” Tarasov said, excluding realism of views, pursuant which Kazakhstan and Belarus hinder appointment of a representative from Armenia in the position of CSTO Secretary General, so that the Armenian representative didn’t use the platform in favor of strengthening its positions in NK conflict.
Touching upon CSTO’s role in NK conflict zone and Armenia’s security, Stanislav Tarasov said that CSTO is publicly expressing its concern over negative developments in the conflict zone.
According to him CSTO doesn’t outline its position on the doctrine level, as there are legal nuances. “CSTO is protecting the territory of Armenia, Karabakh is observed as a neutral zone, as if legally belonging to Azerbaijan, however, in fact, such a thing lacks in reality.
In CSTO, EEU all are civilized people and they perfectly realize if serious dangerous developments are recorded between Armenia and Azerbaijan, CSTO will have to mediate, thus, currently, CSTO observes itself within a restraining role.
The April war showed that there is disparity of powers between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia allotted “Iskanders,” formed joint troops, united air defense system: this means Armenia has a powerful partner like Russia, and other countries don’t manifest themselves yet. By the way, in St. Petersburg, Kazakhstan, which was constantly busy with Azerbaijani lobbying, perfectly related to Serzh Azatovich, which is a positive signal that Nazarbayev is adapting to new realities,” Tarasov said.
By Araks Martirosyan
