Monday, November 12 2018 19:06

ArmInfo. And about. Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan urged to be patient and wait for December 6 on the issue of the CSTO Secretary General.

So, on November 12, in an interview with journalists, answering the  question whether his opinion on the question of who should take the  post of CSTO Secretary General, Tonoyan in particular, changed: "My  opinion has not changed. However, I urge everyone to wait for  December 6, since discussions on this issue were narrow, the  information is not available. But, since the decision was made on the  basis of consensus - to address this issue on December 6, I do not  consider it correct to give any assessment.

However, the. the minister did not agree with the allegations that  the loss of the Secretary General's post in the organization could  harm Armenia from the point of view that the organization would not  make statements on issues of concern to the Armenian side, including  in the event of an aggravation of the situation on the  Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. Tonoyan stressed that the CSTO  statement on a particular issue does not depend on the nationality of  its Secretary General. According to him, this is an international  position. "Armenia has more than a year of the presidency, however,  in any case, the decision will be made by consensus, but for now the  organization functions under the guidance of the acting chairman.  CSTO Secretary General Valeria Semerikova>, - concluded Tonoyan.

Days before, Tonoyan told reporters in parliament that his position  on the post of CSTO Secretary General remains unchanged - Armenia  should continue its chairmanship in the structure.

It should be noted that the post of Secretary General of the CSTO  until November of this year was held by Yuri Khachaturov. On July 26,  the Special Investigation Service of Armenia charged Khachaturov with  the overthrow of the constitutional July 28 court of general  jurisdiction of Yerevan released Khachaturov on a written undertaking  not to leave after paying a deposit of 5 million drams ($ 10,000).

On November 2, by the decision of the CSTO Collective Security  Council, Khachaturov was dismissed from the post of Secretary General  of the organization. Early review was initiated by the Armenian side.   After that, "Kommersant", citing its sources, reported that the CSTO  was discussing the appointment of Secretary General of the Security  Council of Belarus Stanislav Zasya by the Secretary General. This  information has not been confirmed or refuted.

Meanwhile, on November 8 in Astana, the leaders of the CSTO were to  elect a new secretary general of the organization, but the issue was  moved to the agenda of the meeting of the heads of state on December  6 in St. Petersburg.

The Armenian side insists that the post of general secretary should  remain with Armenia, since this issue is not connected with this or  that person, but with the statutory norms of rotation per countries.