Armenia Has Effectively Withdrawn from CSTO – National Assembly Speaker

Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan announced today.

"In essence, we have already withdrawn from the CSTO. As for the remaining matters, we will leave that to our political discretion," Simonyan stated during a press briefing on Wednesday, in response to an inquiry regarding Armenia's lack of formal withdrawal from the CSTO, The Caspian Post reports citing Armenian media.

In discussing the relationship with the CSTO, Simonyan raised the question of whether leaving the CSTO would imply an anti-Russian position.

"Let us move beyond labels. If you become a member of an organization, such as the Union of Journalists or the Union of Butchers, and that organization fails to meet its commitments, does your desire to exit make you anti-journalist?" Simonyan remarked.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan indicated today that Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO is not currently under consideration.

Armenia is not participating in the CSTO summit occurring in Bishkek on November 26-27. Nevertheless, prior to the summit, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov mentioned that "Armenian representatives have expressed that they do not oppose the adoption of the agreed-upon documents during the meeting."

The agenda for the CSTO summit includes the signing of around two dozen documents, which address not only military collaboration but also the battle against narcotics.