Comment by the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan on the statement of the Central Council of the Armenian National Committee of ARF
The ARF Central Council of the Armenian National Committee issued a statement expressing concerns over regional issues, particularly Armenia’s approaches towards Turkey.
First of all, we would like to emphasize that we highly commend the cooperation existing between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and the offices and committees of the Armenian National Committee, which has always been aimed at promoting the pan-Armenian agenda.
The concerns expressed in the statement of the Central Council of the Armenian National Committee of ARF are based on the remarks made by Minister Aivazian during the Q&A session with the Government at the National Assembly of Armenia. These comments or, as they are worded, “affirmations” are taken out of the general context and do not reflect the assessment and approaches of the Republic of Armenia towards Turkey’s involvement in the region.
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Armenia has not reconsidered its assessment of Turkey’s destructive involvement in the region, and those concerns were clearly stated during the Q&A session, particularly with regards to the conduct of joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises in the vicinity of the Armenian border. At the same time, the Foreign Minister of Armenia referred to Turkey’s policy of illegally blockading Armenia, stating that the excuse based on which Turkey has kept its border with Armenia closed for decades does not even exist now.
It should be noted that all the Governments of the Republic of Armenia, as well as leading organizations of the Armenian Diaspora, have always considered the blockade illegal, and have acted from the position of its suspension.
The position of the Republic of Armenia on this issue, as well as the determination to pursue its foreign policy priorities have not changed. We are convinced that Turkey’s direct involvement in the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh, the war crimes and other mass crimes committed against the people of Artsakh further empasize the imperative of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenia Genocide for the prevention and non-recurrence of such international crimes.
In this issue, Armenia will continue its close cooperation with the respective organisations of the Armenian Diaspora.
At the same time, we deem it necessary to emphasize that on various occasions the Foreign Minister of Armenia underscored that we will consider not the statements but the actions of Turkey. To this date, these actions have not been constructive.
In this regard, we would like to quote the position of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, expressed during the same Q&A session, that “a favorable environment should be created for Armenia, for our diplomacy, for our people, of course, without crossing the red lines and protecting our state and national interests.”
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