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WHY DID CSTO DECIDE TO WASH HANDS OFF KARABAKH?
Marina Ananikyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 23, 2011 - 20:42 AMT
The statements made during Yerevan-hosted conference titled "CSTO and
South Caucasus: Regional Peace and Security Perspectives" were a clear
message for Azerbaijan. Should Azerbaijan start a new war, Armenia
will have to participate in it, as a guarantor of Artsakh safety.
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in his address to the
conference that Armenia, as a full member of CSTO, has the right to
expect support of its CSTO allies in case of Azerbaijan's aggression.
Under the CSTO, any aggression against a CSTO member state is viewed
as an aggression against all member states.
Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
Nikolai Bordyuzha reiterated that Armenia, as a member of CSTO, has
shouldered certain obligations, but the other members of CSTO also
have obligations towards Armenia.
Asked how CSTO will behave in case of possible escalation in the
region, Bordyuzha decided not to make hasty statements, noting that
the Armenian and Russian Presidents do their utmost "to solve this
complicate problem peacefully and reach an agreement with all the
states involved in the Karabakh conflict." In other words, they try to
prevent a war, which is so desirable for and continuously promised by
Azerbaijan. At the same time, Bordyuzha warned that regular violations
of ceasefire may provoke a conflict, which is extremely undesirable
for CSTO.
Obviously, CSTO, decided to back out in fear of hasty statements.
Experts in CSTO member states, who, obviously, express their
authorities' views, made statements clearly implying that Armenia
and Karabakh have no reason to expect CSTO support.
CSTO had another surprise to offer: according to Vesti.Az report,
CSTO press-secretary Vladimir Zaynetdinov was unaware of either
Bordyuzha's or Ohanyan's statements. As he noted, "at Yerevan-hosted
conference, Seyran Ohanyan expressed Armenia's support for peaceful
settlement of Karabakh conflict and hopes for CSTO understanding. Our
organisation opposes usage of force in resolving Karabakh issue, with
CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha reiterating his position."
Thus, it became clear that all the statements suggesting alliance
between CSTO member states were mere words, which may be instantly
forgotten for the sake of own interests. However, Armenia is
capable of guaranteeing both its own and Artsakh's safety without
OSCE assistance. Moreover, Armenia is ready for victories, while
Azerbaijan, aptly manipulating CSTO, an organization to which it's not
even affiliated, may lose some of the territories presented by Soviet
rule in 1921, in addition to Karabakh, which never belonged to it.
Marina Ananikyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 23, 2011 - 20:42 AMT
The statements made during Yerevan-hosted conference titled "CSTO and
South Caucasus: Regional Peace and Security Perspectives" were a clear
message for Azerbaijan. Should Azerbaijan start a new war, Armenia
will have to participate in it, as a guarantor of Artsakh safety.
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in his address to the
conference that Armenia, as a full member of CSTO, has the right to
expect support of its CSTO allies in case of Azerbaijan's aggression.
Under the CSTO, any aggression against a CSTO member state is viewed
as an aggression against all member states.
Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
Nikolai Bordyuzha reiterated that Armenia, as a member of CSTO, has
shouldered certain obligations, but the other members of CSTO also
have obligations towards Armenia.
Asked how CSTO will behave in case of possible escalation in the
region, Bordyuzha decided not to make hasty statements, noting that
the Armenian and Russian Presidents do their utmost "to solve this
complicate problem peacefully and reach an agreement with all the
states involved in the Karabakh conflict." In other words, they try to
prevent a war, which is so desirable for and continuously promised by
Azerbaijan. At the same time, Bordyuzha warned that regular violations
of ceasefire may provoke a conflict, which is extremely undesirable
for CSTO.
Obviously, CSTO, decided to back out in fear of hasty statements.
Experts in CSTO member states, who, obviously, express their
authorities' views, made statements clearly implying that Armenia
and Karabakh have no reason to expect CSTO support.
CSTO had another surprise to offer: according to Vesti.Az report,
CSTO press-secretary Vladimir Zaynetdinov was unaware of either
Bordyuzha's or Ohanyan's statements. As he noted, "at Yerevan-hosted
conference, Seyran Ohanyan expressed Armenia's support for peaceful
settlement of Karabakh conflict and hopes for CSTO understanding. Our
organisation opposes usage of force in resolving Karabakh issue, with
CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha reiterating his position."
Thus, it became clear that all the statements suggesting alliance
between CSTO member states were mere words, which may be instantly
forgotten for the sake of own interests. However, Armenia is
capable of guaranteeing both its own and Artsakh's safety without
OSCE assistance. Moreover, Armenia is ready for victories, while
Azerbaijan, aptly manipulating CSTO, an organization to which it's not
even affiliated, may lose some of the territories presented by Soviet
rule in 1921, in addition to Karabakh, which never belonged to it.