The CSTO Secretary General believes that the possibilities for a political settlement of the border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan are not exhausted, and that work in this direction must continue in the Armenia-Azerbaijan-Russia format. According to Armenpress, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, who is in Armenia on a working visit, said this during a visit to the Ararat military unit, in response to a journalist’s question about what proposals the Collective Security Treaty Organization has developed regarding the settlement of the border situation and why the organization, nevertheless, does not give a clear and straightforward assessment of the incidents taking place on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
According to the Secretary General, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is constantly within the CSTO’s field of vision.
“We are conducting organized monitoring, including with the assistance of Armenian state structures. Of course, we believe that the incidents taking place on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which we are talking about, pose a threat to the security of the Caucasian region of the CSTO’s responsibility and, of course, also to Armenia, a member of the organization. If we speak about ways of solving the problem, then we believe that the possibilities for a political settlement of this situation are not exhausted, and in reality that would be the best option for everyone,” – the CSTO Secretary General.
Stanislav Zas emphasized the working format outlined between Armenia and Azerbaijan with Russia’s mediation. For that reason, said the Secretary General, all CSTO actions stem from such an understanding of the situation.
“We are seriously concerned that recently clashes on the border have increased and an escalation is being observed. That does not contribute to starting the aforementioned work. And moreover, it complicates the implementation of the cornerstone agreements reached between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia regarding the cessation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the search for ways to establish peace in this region. We expect that all parties will understand this and take steps to resolve the differences through political means,” added the CSTO Secretary General.
