Eduard Sharmazanov voices probable reasons for Yerevan`s refusal to  accept CSTO exercises

ArmInfo.Former Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, member of the Republican Party Eduard Sharmazanov voiced the probable reasons for Yerevan's refusal to  accept the CSTO exercises.

Thus, the politician did not rule out the fact that Russia intended  to send means to Armenia and not leave the country's territory after  the end of the CSTO exercises, preventing a new Turkish-Azerbaijani  attack.

"But Nikol, at the instigation of the Turkey and NATO, canceled the  CSTO exercises in Armenia and, like a Trojan horse, cleared the way  for the implementation of the Turkish-Azerbaijani program. How  politically incompetent should a person be to say that the Russian  military presence poses a threat to Armenia,"  Sharmazanov said.

At the same time, the politician noted that if it were not for  Russia, Turkey would have invaded Armenia in May 1992 and October  1993 (the first president of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin,  wrote a letter to the head of Turkey, warning about the consequences  in case of intervention in the conflict - ed. note).

"If it weren't for Russia's help, we would hardly have defeated the  Azerbaijanis. If there hadn't been Russia in the fall of 2020, you  would have given Artsakh to Azerbaijan long ago.

This thesis of Nikol is a Turkish thesis, according to which,  allegedly "if Russia had not come to the Caucasus, there would have  been no Armenian genocide."

If not for Russia, it would have been difficult to restore Armenian  statehood at the beginning of the 20th century.  It should be noted  that today, during a press conference, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan stated that Yerevan does not consider it expedient to  conduct CSTO exercises in the republic in 2023 under "these  conditions." According to the prime minister, there is some  misunderstanding on this issue, since the Armenian defense minister  has already informed the CSTO Joint Headquarters that the Armenian  side does not consider it expedient to conduct exercises this year in  Armenia. "These exercises, at least this year, will not take place,"  Pashinyan said.  Moreover, the Prime Minister also assured that  Azerbaijan and the West consider Russia in Armenia as a threat,  against the background of the processes around Ukraine.  We add that  the Kremlin has already reacted to Pashinyan's statement regarding  the CSTO, noting that Moscow will clarify this issue.  We also add  that at the end of December, the then CSTO Secretary General  Stanislav Zas, during the final press conference to clarify what the  draft decision on measures of assistance to Armenia will be and  whether there is an intention to provide military-technical  assistance to Armenia, Zas  said that he would not detail it, because  the project decisions submitted to heads of state are confidential.

"But, there really was a point in draft decision that assumed the  provision of military-technical assistance.  Although there was no  definite list, during the CSTO mission to the border, a request was  received from Armenia for the necessary equipment and weapons," he  said, once again emphasizing that the package assistance provided for  military-technical assistance.

"But this does not mean that tomorrow, after the signing of the  document, a plane with the weapons necessary for Armenia would fly  in. But this would enable the Ministries of Defense to work according  to this list and implement it if the heads of state approve.  Moreover, at different levels, partly as aid, partly at domestic  prices," explained the CSTO General Secretary.