Armenia confirms participation in CIS government heads meeting in Minsk

Armenia has confirmed its participation in the upcoming meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS countries, scheduled for September 29 in Minsk, though the format of its involvement is still under discussion.

First Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Igor Petrishenko, told journalists that Armenia is currently deciding on how to participate in order to make its involvement more effective. He emphasised that the final decision rests with Armenia, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The meeting in Minsk will cover 14 agenda items, bringing together government leaders from across the CIS.

Relations between Yerevan and Minsk remain strained. In June, the foreign ministries of the two countries exchanged diplomatic notes, and in August, the Belarusian embassy in Yerevan was attacked with tomatoes and potatoes following comments by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Tensions also flared in December when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Lukashenko had a heated exchange at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg.

By Sabina Mammadli