Moscow. May 13. INTERFAX - The CSTO is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and is ready to take measures provided for by the Collective Security Treaty in case of further aggravation, CSTO press Secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov said.
"The CSTO is closely monitoring the development of the situation in the border areas of the Syunik region of Armenia. As the situation develops, if necessary, actions will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Security Treaty and the CSTO Charter," CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov said.
According to him, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas discussed the current situation by phone with Acting Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan and Acting Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ara Ayvazyan.
The CSTO noted that the permanent and Plenipotentiary Representative of Armenia to the Organization, Viktor Biyagov, reported on the incident during a meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council on May 13.
"In the opinion of the Armenian side, the Azerbaijani armed forces violated the border and penetrated several kilometers into the Armenian territory," the statement reads.
As previously reported in the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Biyagov at the meeting "noted that the provocation carried out by Azerbaijan is a direct encroachment on the sovereign territory of Armenia and a serious threat to regional security and stability."
The authorities of the city of Goris, Syunik region, reported on Wednesday, May 12, that the Azerbaijani military violated the state border of the republic.
Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan's actions are " a pre-planned provocation, they have false maps that they want to justify that they are within the borders of Azerbaijan."
The former governor of Syunik region Vahe Hakobyan said that the Russian military is operating in the area of the incident, which "is negotiating with the Azerbaijanis to return to their original positions."
Black Lake is located in the Syunik region, near the settlements of Sisian, Goris and Ishkhanasar, most of the lake is located on the territory of Armenia.
In October 2020, Zas reported that the CSTO could intervene in the military conflict in Karabakh in the event of a threat to Armenia's sovereignty or a direct military attack on it.
"Two thresholds (to be followed) to consider. The first is when real threats are created to the security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of any CSTO member state... The second such case is in the case of aggression, that is, a military attack. This is considered as an aggression against all our States, and in this case, at the request of our country, the object of aggression is immediately provided with all possible assistance, including military assistance. In such cases, the CSTO response mode is launched, " Zas said.
