ArmInfo. Dispatching Armenian troops to Kazakhstan at Moscow's suggestion was by no means in Armenia's interests, Ruben Mehrabyan of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs told ArmInfo.
"Moscow made use of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - just as it would make use of the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO) at one time - to ensure the legitimacy of its interference in Kazakhstan's domestic affairs. This is the real state of affairs, the rest is nothing but sentiment. Armenia had an opportunity to refuse involvement in that action by submitting the draft decision to Parliament, which would not have approved it. I cannot say why it was not done," Mr Mehrabyan said.
As regards possible consequences of the CSTO peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan for Armenia, he noted that Yerevan displayed a behavior that was not in line with the image of a country invited to the Summit for Democracy, which evoked an immediate response by international media. And even in the medium-term these actions may painfully echo in Armenia - and at the very crucial moment.
According to Mr Mehrabyan, in view of the circumstances of his coming to power, Nikol Pashinyan had all the necessary instruments to adopt an exactly opposite position. And the fact that Armenia did its best for not only CSTO but also its own troops to be dispatched to Kazakhstan is, he believes, pregnant with negative consequences for the country. That decision would not, even theoretically, bring any benefits to Armenia.
"On the other hand, that decision has a potential of proving seriously detrimental to Armenia. Our troops are already in Kazakhstan, and the current task is to reduce the potential damage to a minimum. And it is the decision-makers that are expected to be accountable. We should realize that decision was wrong simply because it could be made use of by the states that are hostile to Armenia. And it is common knowledge which states are these. And, of course, their goal is to completely undermine our rather shaky positions in the international arena," Mr Mhrabyan said.