Iran not to join CSTO despite active cooperationAugust 6, 2009 - 19:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran cooperates with CSTO within the frameworks of many programs, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha announced during Yerevan-Moscow video bridge. Despite Iran's active participation in anti-drug trafficking operations, the country does not make active steps towards joining the organization, the speaker finds.Bordyuzha also commented upon Belarus and Ukraine's not signing the agreement on the activity of Collective Rapid Reaction Forces. "Belarus always approved of the project, and I believe there were just some technical reasons preventing it to sign the CRRF agreement. As regards Uzbekistan, its representatives have announced they are not yet ready for signing the document, however, they are not going to hamper project implementation process either," CSTO Secretary General noted. He also stressed that Belarus did not assume CSTO chairmanship because of Belarusian delegation's absence in organization's summit. During the summit in June, Belarus was to have accepted CSTO chairmanship from Armenia. However, President Alexander Lukashenko did not attend the meeting, and Russia agreed to continue with technical chairmanship. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |