Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Thursday plans to travel to Türkiye’s southern resort city of Antalya for the COP31 U.N. climate summit, in a visit that comes amid ongoing efforts to normalize relations between the two neighboring countries, state-run Armenpress reported.
“Yes, I plan to go to Antalya to participate in the COP,” Pashinyan told reporters during a briefing.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited Pashinyan to the summit during their meeting in New York in September, where they discussed efforts to normalize relations between the two countries.
COP31 will take place Nov. 9-20, bringing together world leaders, experts and civil society representatives to discuss international efforts to address climate change.
The conference’s leaders’ summit is scheduled for Nov. 11-12.
Turning to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Pashinyan said Armenia had “exhausted” its interest in the military alliance.
“I want to state once and for all that our interests in the CSTO have been exhausted,” he said during a briefing.
His remarks came after CSTO Deputy Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov said that there was no question of expelling Armenia from the organization.
However, he said an upcoming CSTO Council meeting could result in the application of Article 25 of the organization’s charter, which would suspend Armenia’s right to nominate candidates for quota-based positions and its voting rights until it settles outstanding membership fee arrears.
Armenia suspended its participation in the CSTO in February 2024 and has since stopped taking part in the organization’s activities and paying membership fees.
Pashinyan also said Armenia did not intend to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), while reiterating plans to apply for European Union membership in 2027 or 2028.
“We have not started preparations to leave the EAEU. We are preparing to offer our people alternative options, as we promised. Our people must have the opportunity to choose,” he said.
Pashinyan said Armenia would follow the necessary procedures before holding a referendum on leaving the EAEU and joining the EU.
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