Hajiyev: Baku does not plan to participate in the CSTO in any form

ArmInfo. Baku does not  consider participating in the Collective Security Treaty Organization  (CSTO)as an observer, said Hikmet Hajiyev, department for foreign  policy of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan does not currently consider participating in the CSTO in  any form, including as an observer," Hajiyev said in an interview  with RealTV, quoted Interfax-Azerbaijan.  "It has become such a  phobia in Armenia that in Yerevan they bring this issue up for  discussion in the absence of any official appeal from Azerbaijan," he  added.

Hajiyev pointed out that Azerbaijan has close friendly and partner  relations with all CSTO member countries, including in the military  and military-technical sphere, with the exception of Armenia.  He  also emphasized that, despite the fact that Baku does not consider  the issue of participation in the Organization, Azerbaijan is closely  monitoring the activities of the CSTO and the issues discussed by the  Organization.

Earlier, in the Armenian parliament, a bill was considered regarding  amendments to the CSTO charter, regarding the granting of observer or  partner status, and during the discussions, concerns were expressed  about the possible granting of such status to a state unfriendly  Armenia, namely Azerbaijan. In this regard, Armenian Deputy Foreign  Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan emphasized that all decisions in the  Organization are made by consensus and without the consent of the  Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will not be able to obtain any  status in the military alliance.