CSTO Did Not Support Armenia Not Only Militarily but Also Politically: Ambassador of Armenia to Germany

The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Germany, Viktor Yengibaryan, gave an interview to Andre Uzulis, the editor-in-chief of the 'Loyal' security policy magazine. He discussed topics related to security in the South Caucasus, ethnic cleansing of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and peacebuilding.

The key theses presented in the interview are summarized as follows:

1. Thanks to the solidarity of the Armenian society and the efforts of the Armenian government, it was possible to mitigate the looming issues of people forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and avoid tent settlements.
2. Armenia and Azerbaijan are technically very close to a 'Peace Agreement'; only the political will of Azerbaijan is lacking.
3. The only prerequisite for prosperity in our region is peace. Once peace is established, it will finally be possible to open borders and facilitate the free movement of people and goods, which will also benefit Azerbaijan. The Turkey-Armenia border will be opened, creating profits for everyone involved.
4. The Armenian government's 'Peace Crossroads' initiative is a crucial part of our peace agenda and will become an important aspect of north-south and east-west trade relations.
5. Strong democratic structures are in place in Armenia, and the country is successfully combating corruption, which is why we had over 12% economic growth in 2022.
6. Armenia is taking steps to diversify arms acquisition markets and establish a professional army.
7. The Russian Federation is Armenia's strategic partner, but it is also Azerbaijan's strategic partner and has sold billions of dollars worth of armaments to Azerbaijan since 2011, which is not the case for Armenia. In this sense, the assertion that the Russian Federation is a protective force for Armenia is incorrect. The CSTO did not support Armenia not only militarily but also politically, which raises serious questions about the organization's relevance.
8. The EU civil mission plays a positive role in the region. From Germany, as the largest EU country, we expect active efforts regarding Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also value Germany's influence as a country with good relations with Turkey.