CSTO RRF to change power balance in South CaucasusFebruary 10, 2009 - 13:46 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The decision to form a rapid reaction force has breathed new life into the Collective Security Treaty Organization, an Armenian expert said."The CSTO did not have a well-outlined structure and was an amorphous organization quite recently. Now, it will have its own forces and member states will make certain capital investments," Karen Bekaryan, head of European Integration NGO, told a news conference in Yerevan today. "The CSTO has three directions: eastern (Central Asian countries), western (Belarus), and southern (Armenia). This makes an interesting picture," he said, adding that formation of CSTO RRF can counterbalance Azerbaijan's bellicose rhetoric. With the decision to form a rapid reaction force, the CSTO finally fixed its territories and borders, according to Bekaryan. "It's also worth mentioning that the decision was taken during Armenia's presidency in the Organization," he said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. U.S. doesn’t see Russia as contributing to peace in Caucasus Patel made the remarks when asked about the implications of Russia’s withdrawal of peacekeepers from Karabakh. Up to 1% cashback when shopping on Wildberries with IDBank cards IDBank is launching an exclusive campaign on Wildberries for online shopping enthusiasts. |