CSTO May Strip Armenia of Voting Rights: Clear Timeline Mentioned in Moscow

The issue of potentially stripping Armenia of its voting rights within the CSTO may be discussed during a meeting in Moscow on November 11. This was stated by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in an interview with TASS.

According to the diplomat, the authority to impose restrictive measures against one of the member states belongs exclusively to the Collective Security Council, which includes the heads of state. The legal grounds for such decisions are outlined in Articles 20 and 25 of the CSTO charter.

Galuzin emphasized that the CSTO charter is an international treaty, and its provisions, including financial obligations, are subject to mandatory compliance. “Yerevan’s refusal to participate in the organization’s activities and to sign annual decisions regarding its budget means only a waiver of its respective rights; however, it does not absolve Armenia of its obligations to transfer national contributions in a timely manner,” stated the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.

He added that fundamental documents of international organizations provide for appropriate procedures for such cases, and “the CSTO is no exception.”

This means that Yerevan has failed to fulfill its obligations and has not made the monetary transfers, prompting Moscow to decide to strip Armenia of its voting rights and put this issue on the table for discussion.