Armenia in CSTO

The situation in Kyrgyzstan was discussed during the summit of the
members of the CSTO in Yerevan on the August 20-22. Measures for the
situation's stabilization and issues of organizing a more effective
system of reaction were observed. In result the participants came to
an agreement to prepare by December suggestions on changes to the
constitutional documents in order to create within the CSTO more
efficient institutions. "After the events in Kyrgyzstan everyone
realizes that the CSTO should act in a more efficient way", claimed
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The events in Kyrgyzstan showed
that the organization needs reforming. It became clear that CSTO lacks
regulatory documents allowing it to interfere in domestic political
conflicts and a clear scheme of operations in case of emergency
situations. The deputy director of the Caucasus Research Center Sergey
Minasyan considers that there is no mechanism of response to internal
threats and providing aid to a country under attack. In the South
Caucasus, he says, the organization has a bilateral character:
Russian-Armenian and the reform results in a strengthening of the
Russian-Armenian group in the region. In this context the Russian
military base in Gymri becomes a matter of specific significance. In
Armenia exist the point of view, that membership in the CSTO can lead
to unfavourable consequences. The ex-presidental advisor Zhirayr
Liparityan regards the prolongation of the agreement on the Russian
base in Gymri as a diplomatic failure, since it shows that the country
relies more upon military force rather than upon diplomatic efforts.
The ex-Speaker Karapet Rubinyan sees imperialistic approach in Russian
policy concerning Armenia. He considers that a close relationship with
Russia is fraught with further problems. Yet Armenia has no
alternative except membership in the CSTO, believes Stepan Grigoryan,
director of the Atlantic Center for globalization and regional
partership.
Susanna Petrosyan. Especially for VK