Russia’s Zakharova says CSTO could not intervene in Karabakh conflict

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) could not have intervened in the conflict over Karabakh because Armenia itself did not recognize the territory as either its own or independent, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

“There was a discussion about activating the CSTO mechanism at Armenia’s request. But in relation to what territory? Nagorno-Karabakh, which Armenia itself recognized as neither its own nor an independent state,” Zakharova said at the Gvardeisk youth forum.

She said the CSTO mechanism could not be invoked under those circumstances.