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Lavrov hopeful Armenia will prioritize commitments as Russia’s ally in its foreign policy

According to Russian Foreign Minister, the move looks even stranger now that Armenia has refrained from taking part in CSTO drills for two years

NEW DELHI, September 10. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed the hope on Sunday that Yerevan will prioritize its commitments as Moscow’s ally in its foreign policy course.

"I really hope that those allied obligations that exist between us <...> will prevail in Armenia’s foreign policy," he said at a news conference following the G20 summit, commenting on Yerevan’s decision to hold joint military drills with the United States.

According to him, the move looks even stranger now that Armenia has refrained from taking part in CSTO drills for two years, arguing that it would agree to cooperate with the Collective Security Treaty Organization only if its CSTO allies condemned Azerbaijan.

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan recalled the country’s Permanent Representative to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Viktor Biyagov and appointed him ambassador to the Netherlands, according to a presidential decree which was posted on the presidential website on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that the South Caucasus country will host a joint military exercise, Eagle Partner 2023, with the United States on September 11-20.

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Sergey Lavrov Armenia G20 Summit

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