At the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Yerevan, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said that the first step for the signing of the peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia should be taken by Armenia. With these words, the leader of Belarus directly accused the Armenian side of slowing down the peace process between the two countries.

Political expert Elshan Manafli explained the reasons for Belarus's pro-Azerbaijan position at the CSTO meeting in his comments to Ednews. According to him, both the authorities of Russia and Belarus have realized the great strategic importance of Azerbaijan compared to Armenia if it joins the Eurasian Economic Union and CSTO.

"Belarus and its leader Lukashenko realize how much strategic importance Azerbaijan has for EEU and CSTO compared to Armenia, and that if Azerbaijan joins these organizations, their international influence and opportunities to influence regional and global processes can be expanded."

The expert also talked about the economic and diplomatic relations between Belarus and Azerbaijan.

"Relations between Belarus and Azerbaijan are within the framework of strategic cooperation. Already in 2007, an agreement on friendship and cooperation was signed between these states, and in 2015, documents on socio-economic cooperation were signed. In addition, the volume of trade turnover between the two countries was around 161 million dollars in 2017, and increased to 484 million dollars in 2021.

I would also like to add that about 300 Belarusian companies are currently operating in Azerbaijan. States cooperate closely in international and subregional organizations. In this regard, from the first days of the Karabakh conflict, Belarus has been a supporter of the solution of this problem within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and, as a rule, has called Armenia to implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council related to the conflict.

Elshan Manafov touched on another political aspect of Lukashenko's appeal to Armenia, showing him as the cause of the delay in the peace process.

"In this sense, it is not an exception that Lukashenko mediates in front of official Baku in order to gain geopolitical and economic dividends and attract him to the mentioned organizations. Because Azerbaijan is attractive with its financial capabilities, oil and gas resources, agricultural products, logistics, access to transport corridors.

Also, let me note that the fact that the last summit meeting in Yerevan did not meet Pashinyan's expectations and that he could not get the support he wanted from the organization stems from issues related to the expansion and development of bilateral and multilateral relations with Azerbaijan of the states represented in these organizations.

By Elnur Enveroglu