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The Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will always welcome cooperation with former Soviet countries, including Azerbaijan, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told reporters in Yerevan.

His comments came in response to a question how CSTO views cooperation with Azerbaijan and whether it considers granting a status of observer to the country.

The Russian official said all the post-Soviet states were once a single family and have a lot in common, adding it also applies to a certain balance of military forces of all former republics.

“We pursue a very balanced and thought-out policy of military-technical cooperation with all the CSTO countries and Azerbaijan,” Borisov said.

The deputy PM said the decisions at the organization are made by consensus, adding if CSTO finds that there is a need to grant Azerbaijan an observer status, the decision will be made in accordance with the CSTO Charter.

He stressed Russia is not interested in escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, on the contrary, it will contribute to the conflict settlement in every way.