Answers by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to the questions by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Question: Minister Nalbandian, what are the outcomes of this meeting in Brussels?
Edward Nalbandian: Armenia actively continues cooperation with the European Union. Three phases of negotiations on the new legal framework of the relations have already been held. The cooperation in the fields of human rights, democracy, rule of law, good governance, as well as sectoral cooperation in the areas of science, education, small and medium enterprises, healthcare, transport, agriculture is deepening; we have joined the Horizon 2020 and COSME programmes. The cooperation on mobility continues, we are discussing the issue of launching a dialogue on visa liberalization.
The intensive contacts within parliamentary, local government formats are being pursued. All these issues were included in the agenda of today’s discussion in Brussels.
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Question: If I may, a question on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Today in Istanbul Aliyev again voiced accusations on the alleged use of chemical weapons in the conflict zone by the Armenian forces. What would you say in this regard?
Edward Nalbandian: It’s an obvious fabrication. The Foreign Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh in its corresponding statement has denied it and expressed readiness to receive an observer mission to expose the lies of Baku, as well as to get acquainted with the crimes committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Force on the ground. Such orchestrated performances of Baku are aimed at distracting the attention of international community from the vivid facts of the gross violations by Azerbaijan of the international humanitarian law and international human rights law, presented to different international institutions by Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.
If Baku is really worried about the revelation of reality, then it should not hinder the establishment of a mechanism for the investigation of ceasefire violations, proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries years ago and once again approved in Vienna, and should undertake concrete steps in that direction as soon as possible.
Question: High-ranking officials of Azerbaijan are stating that in Vienna Azerbaijan has only agreed to the maintenance of ceasefire regime, and Azerbaijan has not made any other commitment, such as the establishment of mechanism for investigation, the enhancement of capabilities of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Was this something predictable?
Edward Nalbandian: All the commitments and agreements the sides undertook are written in white and black in the statement of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs countries. The ink has barely dried on the statement when Azerbaijan again tried to make a step back.
It is noteworthy, that the authors of those statements are, I would say, well-known Azerbaijani officials who are famous for their “perils of mind”, as well as the Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, who, according to the definition of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, act independently without the instruction of the capital.
In fact, according to Baku’s logic, all the participants of the summit, including also the US Secretary of State, Foreign Minister of Russia, State Secretary of France misunderstood the essence of the reached agreements.
This is yet another proof that the international community and Baku are speaking in different languages. The attempts of Baku to present its false interpretations through some officials are in vain.
Armenia together with the Co-Chair countries will spare no effort to implement the agreements reached in Vienna and to create conditions for the continuation of joint efforts with the Co-Chair countries towards an exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue.