All those underestimating the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) as a security structure have seen an entirely opposite picture when Russia accurately fired missiles at the Islamic State from its warships in the Caspian Sea, Armenia’s ex-minister of defense Vahan Shirkhanyan told Tert.am.
“It was said by certain people getting orders and grants, who were ordered to describe the CSTO as a weak and disunited structure incapable of anything, for people to think of what could happen in case of threats. Quite the opposite has been proved now – the Russian and CSTO armed forces are powerful,” he said.
He is not surprised Russia, a CSTO member, has such military potential.
“I knew about the CSTO’s power long ago and I am not surprised that it used the Caspian Fleet. It is natural and the decision is to neutralize the Islamic State’s threats, and Russia is consistently progressing toward the aim. A new approach is that Russia will destroy the terrorist group in Iraq as well if that country applies,” Mr Shirkhanyan said.
Armenia’s policy of national security under Russian auspices is right, and the criticism of the lack of any actions amid the border tensions is artificial.
“The CSTO issued a most serious statement on the inadmissibility of ceasefire violations – not like the President of the European Council, who said that the media should provide wider coverage of the conflict. So I do not see any discrepancies and I am sure that the CSTO is our security structure, with our strategic ally Russia playing a major role. We are going to be a CSTO member for a long period, and the Armenian armed forces will grow stronger in cooperation with this structure.”