CSTO Secretary General: Striking Armenia`s voting rights over unpaid dues under discussion

ArmInfo.Armenia is effectively not participating in any activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), according to CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov.

"Armenia has not paid its dues for three years now. De facto, it practically does not participate, while de jure, it remains a full member of the CSTO. But the decision, of course, rests with the Armenian people and the leadership of Armenia," TASS quotes him as saying.

Masadykov noted that CSTO member states are discussing the republic's status and the potential suspension of its voting rights due to the non-payment of contributions. "Yes, this issue is being discussed. Just recently, a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers was held in Kazan, where the foreign ministers discussed this matter in detail," he said.

As a reminder, Armenia has been boycotting events held within the CSTO framework since late 2022. In February 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia had practically frozen its participation in the CSTO, as the Organization failed to fulfill its obligations to the Republic of Armenia, which could not remain without consequences. Later, on September 18, 2024, at the second World Armenian Summit, Pashinyan declared that the CSTO poses threats to Armenia's security, its future existence, sovereignty, and statehood.