The current situation around the issue of the Secretary General of the CSTO is painful for the organisation, however it doesn’t affect the efficiency and combat readiness of the organisation, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told Ria Novosti agency.

The CSTO Collective Security Council relieved Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov of his duties as the organization’s secretary general in November at the initiative of official Yerevan, following charges brought by Armenian Special Investigative Service against Khachaturov with overthrowing the constitutional order in 2008. Armenia earlier insisted on keeping the top CSTO post until 2020, however, the CSTO stated that due to the political situation in the country, it would be inappropriate to give up the post again to Armenia.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed on December 21 a draft resolution of the CSTO on appointing Stanislav Zas as the secretary general of the organization. Zas candidacy us yet to be approved by the organisation’s member states.