Pashinyan dismisses CSTO secretary general

The Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has dismissed Yuri Khachaturov as secretary general of the organization.

"The procedure for early dismissal of the representative of the Republic of Armenia Yuri Khachaturov from the post of secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, initiated by the Armenian side has been completed," the organisation said on its website.

The CSTO secretary general's duties are entrusted to CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov, ARKA reported.

Khachaturov was charged by the new Armenian government of having a role in the 2008 March 1 post-election unrest and arrested in late July, but was released shortly afterwards on a 5 million dram bail. 

The decision of Armenian authorities to prosecute Khachaturov along with former president Robert Kocharyan and former defense minister Mikael Harutyunyan was criticized by Russia. Following the criticism Khachaturov was allowed to return to Moscow to perform his duties.