Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to the activities of CIS and CSTO at a press conference.
“We in the CIS and the CSTO have programs of joint foreign political activities, which are expressed in draft joint statements. Reaching an agreement is sometimes difficult also because the CSTO countries have problems that arise in their relations with the West under pressure from the West. They also face some economic hardship if the West decides to hurt them in any way.
There are cases when, in the international arena, Russia and Belarus or another CSTO country vote in unison, and someone abstains. This is how it happens, but unlike NATO, we do not have baton discipline," Lavrov noted.
According to him, there are difficulties related to the current situation in Armenia.
“Our Armenian friends put forward the need to send a CSTO mission to the border with Azerbaijan in order to ensure some stability there. At the Yerevan summit, we agreed on a relevant document on the parameters of this mission, but it was not possible to adopt it, because our Armenian partners began to insist that this document should contain a strong condemnation of Azerbaijan’s actions,” said the Russian Foreign Minister.
According to him, if it is about condemnation and rhetoric, then everyone is free to do what they want. “But if we want to send a CSTO mission, then, apparently, it is not necessarily conditioned by some external features, some statements, moreover strict," Lavrov noted, adding that they are still ready to send a CSTO mission to the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry also expressed his negative attitude regarding the deployment of the EU observation mission on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
“Although we are allies, and although this mission is fully ready, the Armenian side prefers to negotiate with the European Union in order to deploy a civilian observation mission there on a long-term basis. This is the right of Armenia, but we should not forget that we are talking about the border with Azerbaijan. If that mission unfolds without an agreement with Azerbaijan, it can be counterproductive. It is necessary to approach creatively, understanding all the complexity of the problems that arise within the framework of the development of each of our states,” Lavrov noted, adding that in that case there would not be any disagreement regarding obligations within the framework of the CSTO.
According to him, it is necessary to have a sincere and honest conversation with the Armenian side, it is necessary to openly present any concerns and any difficulties that this or that country has.
