Russian media reports say the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has postponed its summit initially scheduled for December 6.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov reportedly told reporters in Moscow on December 4 that the decision was made at Armenia's request because of the country's snap general elections set for December 9.
Ushakov said the summit will most likely be held next year.
Armenia currently holds the rotating presidency of the CSTO, which also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
CSTO Secretary-General Yuri Khachaturov was relieved of his duties last month after being charged with overthrowing Armenia's constitutional order when he was the country's deputy defense minister.
Ushakov said Russia's Valery Semerikov will continue to serve as acting CSTO secretary-general.
CSTO is the regional security organization, which was initially formed in 1992 for a five-year period by the members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) — Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, which were joined by Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Belarus the following year. A 1994 treaty reaffirmed the desire of all participating states to abstain from the use or threat of force, and prevented signatories from joining any “other military alliances or other groups of states” directed against members states. The CST was then extended for another five-year term in April 1999, and was signed by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. In October 2002, the group was renamed as the CSTO. Uzbekistan that suspended its membership in 1999 returned to the CSTO again in 2006 after it came under international criticism for its brutal crackdown of antigovernment demonstrations in the eastern city of Andijon in May 2005. On June 28, 2012, Uzbekistan announced that it has suspended its membership of the CSTO, saying the organization ignores Uzbekistan and does not consider its views. The CSTO is currently an observer organization at the United Nations General Assembly.
