10 RA National Army

A war with Karabakh may turn into CSTO-Azerbaijan war?

May 19, 2011 - 20:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The statements made during Yerevan-hosted conference titled “CSTO and South Caucasus: Regional Peace and Security Perspectives” were a clear message for Azerbaijan. Should Azerbaijan start a new war, Armenia will have to participate in it, as a guarantor of Artsakh safety.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in his address to the conference that Armenia, as a full member of CSTO, has the right to expect support of its CSTO allies in case of Azerbaijan’s aggression. Under the CSTO, any aggression against a CSTO member state is viewed as an aggression against all member states.

Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolai Bordyuzha reiterated the CSTO member states that Armenia, as a member of CSTO, has shouldered certain obligations, but the other members of CSTO also have obligations towards Armenia.

Asked how CSTO will behave in case of possible escalation in the region, Bordyuzha decided not to make hasty statements, noting that the Armenian and Russian Presidents do their utmost “to solve this complicate problem peacefully and reach an agreement with all the states involved in the Karabakh conflict.” In other words, they try to prevent a war, which is so desirable for and continuously promised by Azerbaijan. At the same time, Bordyuzha warned that regular violations of ceasefire may provoke a conflict, which is extremely undesirable for CSTO.

Conclusion: Armenia will not stay aside in case of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Karabakh, while CSTO, as per the agreements, will not sit on the sidelines in case of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia. Thus, a war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Karabakh may turn into a war of Azerbaijan with CSTO, which is represented by Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. And, most likely, neither the great number of weapons, nor juvenile snipers and raiders will help Azerbaijan in such case.

Marina Ananikyan / PanARMENIAN News

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CSTO

The Collective Security Treaty Organization, formed under the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, serves as a mutual defense alliance among Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The Collective Security Treaty (CST) was signed on May 15, 1992 for five-year term, with the possibility of prolongation. On December 2, 2004 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Resolution to grant the observer status to the Collective Security Treaty Organization in the General Assembly of the United Nations. The goal of the Collective Security Treaty Organization is to strengthen peace and international and regional security and stability and to ensure collective protection of independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Member States, in the attainment of which Member States shall give priority to political methods. On February 4, 2009, the CSTO leaders approved formation of Collective Rapid Reaction Force (RRF).

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.