What Will CSTO Do If Azerbaijan Attacks Karabakh?

What will Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) do if Azerbaijan takes to real steps instead of bellicose statements? This is probably the most urgent question many ask themselves given the recent developments in Kyrgyzstan.

"If, may God never let it happen, Azerbaijan takes concrete military steps, naturally, based on the requirement of Point 4 of CSTO statute its members shall provide [Armenia] with assistance, I am stressing it, also with military assistance, as Armenia is a CSTO member," Director of CSTO Armenian representation Nver Torosyan said at a press conference today.

Asked how CSTO would come to help should Azerbaijan unleash a war against Karabakh, especially given it is not a recognized state and naturally not a member of CSTO, Torosyan said that no such situation is envisaged by the CSTO statute. But at the same time he mentioned that special sessions will by all means be convened and meetings held in such a scenario. And a specific decision, according to Torosyan, will be made based on the specific situation.