The CSTO has deprived Armenia of its voting rights in the organization and will no longer allow its representatives to serve in responsible positions in the alliance.
At the CSTO summit, a decision was made to deprive Armenia of its voting rights, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov noted that the decision was made "because Armenia has not been fulfilling its obligations for several years."
The Collective Security Council adopted the "decision on the application of Article 25 of the Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization with respect to the Republic of Armenia."
Article 25 prescribes making a decision "to suspend the right to nominate citizens for quota positions within the organization, as well as to deprive them of the right to vote" in the event of failure to fulfill "obligations to repay the organization’s budget debt for two years."
Under the charter, Armenia will be able to regain its rights in the CSTO if it "fully repays the debt." Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly said he wants to freeze the country’s membership in the organization. However, having stopped making contributions to the CSTO budget, Armenia has not taken any active steps to withdraw or, on the contrary, resume its activities.
CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov said that the expelling Armenia from the organization was not discussed.
“Once Armenia decides to settle its outstanding membership dues, it can be fully reinstated... The decision rests with the Armenian leadership,” Masadykov said.
