Media reports say Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not participate in a summit of the Council of the Leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which is scheduled to take place in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, on October 13.
Armenia media outlets report that PM Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov yesterday. They discussed cooperation between their countries and the upcoming meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State.
Pashinyan reportedly noted that he would not be able to attend the gathering due to a number of circumstances.
Russia’s TASS, citing the Kyrgyz presidential office, reported on October 10 that Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has held a telephone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Armenian premier reportedly announced with regret that due to a number of reasons he would not be able to take part in the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State.
According to the Kyrgyz presidential office, the telephone call was initiated by Armenia.
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan announced earlier that an Armenian deputy foreign minister would represent Yerevan at a regular meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council in Bishkek on Thursday instead of Armenia’s top diplomat. The Armenian side denied the possibility of holding a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the October 12 event.
Experts note that the absence highlights a growing rift between Yerevan and Moscow, as Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the summit.
Earlier Armenia announced that its troops are not taking part in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty's ongoing military exercises in Kyrgyzstan.
