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Armenia defense minister to turn down offer to become CSTO chief

17 September 2016 08:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan is going to turn down the offer to be appointed as the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

He told the aforementioned to Armenian News – news.am on Friday.

To our question whether it is true that he will be dismissed from the post of the defense minister in October and be appointed as a CSTO secretary general within the framework of the governmental changes, Ohanyan said: “The changes in the government can impact anyone. We know what procedures are in place for forming a government and which political and other governmental forces form it. As to my appointment as a CSTO secretary general, no such offer has [so far] been made. Currently I am the acting minister of defense and am not going to work in any international organization.”

Asked whether he will turn down the offer if one is made, he briefly responded: “Certainly.”

He declined to explain the reasons behind turning down the offer for assuming that post.

To the observation whether he will continue to be part of the 2017-18 government, he said: “Ask those who are forming it.”

Earlier, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had announced about large-scale changes in the state governance area.

The current CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha had announced that the name of the organization’s new head, who will be a representative from Armenia, will be publicized during the CSTO meeting to be held in Armenia on October 14. On September 11, Interfax wrote that Seyran Ohanyan will be dismissed from the post of the Defense Minister and be appointed the CSTO Secretary General.