Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today, in Yerevan, met with Stanislav Zas, who is slated to replace Yuri Khachaturov as head of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Khachaturov was recalled as CSTO Secretary General last November after being charged with usurping state power during the March 1-2, 2008 public protests in Yerevan. He was later released on bail.

According to an Armenian government press release, Pashinyan told Zas that CSTO is one of the most important cogs in Armenia’s security system and that Yerevan seeks to effectively contribute to the work of the organization.

“The work of CSTO in our region must assist in the creation of balance and the preservation of peace,” Pashinyan said at the meeting.

Zas thanked Pashinyan for backing his candidacy to the post and assured him that he will do all in his power to increase the effectiveness of CSTO and to spur cooperation between CSTO member states.

Khachaturov was the Armenian deputy defense minister at the time of the protests during which eight civilians and two police officers died.

CSTO is the primary military alliance between post-Soviet countries and includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.