MP: reasons for RA Defense Minister`s non-participation in meeting of  CSTO Defense Ministers Council are technical and not related to  relations with CSTO

ArmInfo.The non-participation of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan  in the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Defense of the CSTO countries has nothing to do with Armenia's relations with this Organization. Artur Hovhannisyan, secretary of the ruling parliamentary faction "Civil Contract", told journalists on May 25.

, the MP said, adding that, most  likely, we are talking about technical issues.

Answering a question about the intensification of relations between  Armenia and the United States, Hovhannisyan pointed to the intensity  of bilateral cooperation, which, according to him, has reached a  historical peak. He noted that the United States is interested in  establishing peace in the region, and Yerevan is actively cooperating  with Washington on this issue. However, in order to advance the  issue, it is very important to take into account various risks,  including the degree of Azerbaijan's constructiveness.  Today it  became known that the head of the Armenian Defense Ministry does not  participate in the meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the  CSTO member states. Speaking at the meeting, Russian Defense Minister  Sergei Shoigu noted that "The West is trying to push Russia out of  the South Caucasus rather than to ensure the security and prosperity  of the region in the long term."