ArmInfo. CSTO Secretariat considers unacceptable to gear Nikolay Bordyuzha's resignation to the comments on December 29 incident at Armenian-Azerbaijani border, because his term of responsibility expired on December 31, 2016 in a strict conformance to the Decision of member countries leaders, which was taken at the CSTO Security Board session in December 2015 in Moscow, CSTO Press Secretary Vladimir Zajinetdinov's statement reads.
"There is a plenty of media publications regarding CSTO recently, having not impartial character, moreover - often not corresponding to reality. Particularly, a great deal of attention is paid to Bordyuzha's comments on December 29 incident taken place at Armenian-Azerbaijani border. In his comments Bordyuzha stated the CSTO is concerned with the fact that the incident took place at the border of CSTO member country. What is to the matter of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, we woul mention that the CSTO position is reflected in the Joint Communique of CSTO member countries, which was adopted on October 14, 2016 in Yerevan at CSTO Board Session. Secretariat follows that position strictly," the Press Secretary mentioned.
At that, he mentioned that in respect to the assignment of new CSTO Secretary General, the Secretariat is always being governed by decisions, principles and agreements that had been adopted at the Moscow session in December 2015.
Former CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha strongly criticized the Azeri sabotage attack on the Armenian border in Tavush province on 29 Dec 2016. He qualified Azerbaijan's actions as a provocation, and also recalled the April events in Artsakh, defining the latter as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. This statement caused Baku's indignation. A few days later, Nikolay Bordyuzha was removed from office.
To remind, Starting with January 1, 2017 the CSTO Secretary General responsibilities will be performed by Valeri Semerikov, the Deputy Secretary General, "due to expiration of Nikolay Bordjuzha's responsibility term on December 31, 2016." According to the Statutes of the Organization, the post of the CSTO Secretary General should be occupied by Armenian representative. But in October and December 2016 the issue has been excluded from Agena due to the absence of Kazakhstan and Belarusian Presidents respectively.