The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) but not the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is a guarantee of security for Armenia, according to the first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian.

“CSTO is just a detail, making no essential difference. Where can CSTO forces be really enabled? It has never been done before and will not be done in future,” the leader of oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC) said in an interview with Moskovskie Novosti (Moscow News) daily.

As the first President noted, “CSTO has nothing to do with Nagorno Karabakh conflict, because CSTO is an agreement on protection of the CIS external borders, and the fact that Azerbaijan is not affiliated to CSTO is not important.”

“By its status, CSTO has no relation to Karabakh. In case of a war in Karabakh, Russia will not be bound to defend Armenia. There is a common opinion that it will, but this is a very dangerous delusion. Russia has no such responsibility,” Ter-Petrossian said.

With regards to the Russian base in Gyumri as a guarantee of security for Armenia, the ex-President noted that for Turkey the Russian base in Armenia is an unambiguous obstacle for interference, regardless of the fact if this base will interfere to defend Armenia.

“The fact of the base existence itself is essential for Turkey,” the ANC leader said.