Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, during a press briefing today regretted Yerevan’s continued “unjustified criticism” of the Moscow-backed Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“We regret that Armenian authorities continue to allow public criticism of the CSTO. And it’s not only criticism, it is possible to criticize, but it’s unjustified. This is when the management of the organization's secretariat has publicly confirmed the observance of all obligations towards the republic (Armenia-ed.) in full accordance with the statutory goals and principles of the CSTO," Zakharova said.

Yerevan and Moscow, over the past few months, have traded accusations as to whether the CSTO failed to fulfill its security obligations to Armenia in 2021-2022 when Azerbaijani forces crossed the border into Armenia and seized dozens of square kilometers of its sovereign territory.

In February of this year. Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan announced his government had suspended its participation in the CSTO.

Zakharova also said Moscow is ready to support Azerbaijan and Armenia in solving issues related to the destruction of cultural monuments in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh.

“Considering the periodic mutual accusations of Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the destruction of cultural and historical monuments, we call on Baku and Yerevan to make this issue a subject of bilateral negotiations,” Zakharova said.

She said Moscow reaffirms its willingness to continue its advisory support on the demarcation of the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia based on the tripartite agreements of Moscow, Baku and Yerevan.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Belousov