Tilting toward West, Pashinyan announces intention to exit CSTO

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Jun 2024 19:22

The Armenian Prime Minister declares plans to withdraw from the CSTO and emphasizes Armenia's shift toward closer cooperation with the West.

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council of the Eurasian Economic Union at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (AP)

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Wednesday the intention to withdraw Yerevan from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), saying, "Armenia will leave the CSTO but the timing has not yet been determined."

"We will withdraw. We will decide when," Pashinyan said in response to an MP asking when Armenia will withdraw if it is so dissatisfied with the CSTO.

"What do you think? What is the next step? Do you think we will go back? No, there is no other way. Don't worry, we will not go back," added the Armenian PM.

Armenia's Pashinyan tilts West

This comes after a meeting between US and Armenian officials, on June 11, in which the two reviewed, during the Capstone meeting, "progress on strengthening bilateral relations and outlined a vision for deepening ties in the coming year, to be formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding, to upgrade the status of our bilateral dialogue to a Strategic Partnership Commission," according to a joint US-
Armenia statement.

The statement further noted "Armenia’s aspirations for closer cooperation with Euro-Atlantic institutions and the West."

Also on Tuesday, June 11, Major General Artur Yeroyan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, participated in a NATO Military Committee meeting held in the format of chiefs of the general staff via video link on Tuesday, according to a report by the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry.

"In his speech, Major General Yeroyan stressed the importance of cooperation with NATO in transforming Armenia's defense sector and reaffirmed the commitment to continue participation in peacekeeping missions under the auspices of NATO," the Ministry said.

Inter-Armenia turmoil

On June 10, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan called for an urgent parliamentary session on June 17 to discuss a draft motion on the government's resignation and the formation of a new cabinet. The order was posted on the National Assembly's website.

"In accordance with the article of the Armenian Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly and at the initiative of members of the National Assembly an urgent session shall be convened on June 17, 2024 at 6:30 pm with the following agenda: 'Draft message of the National Assembly on the resignation of the government and the need to form a new government'," the order read.

This comes after, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the Tavush for the Motherland opposition movement, announced the opposition's plans to initiate Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's impeachment in parliament, with public support outside. Consequently, thousands gathered near the Parliament building on Bagramyan Avenue and remained there overnight.