Minister of Foreign Affairs: In 2022, issues of forming a security environment around Armenia continue to be prioritized
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implemented 4 programmes and 15 measures in 2022. The programmes related to the preparation and training of specialists in the field of international relations and diplomacy, the development and implementation of the policy of the Government in the sphere of foreign affairs, cooperation with international organizations, and the organization and implementation of the activity of the RA diplomatic service bodies in foreign countries. The RA Minister of Finance Vahe Hovhannisyan spoke about this presenting the state budget 2022 execution report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Minister noted that 18 billion 468 million AMD was planned in the annual plan, but 17.7 billion AMD was spent, which is 96.1% of the annual plan.
“Compared to 2021, the department has spent 652 million AMD more to carry out its activities,” Vahe Hovhannisyan underscored.
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The joint sitting of the Standing Committees on Foreign Relations and on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs took place on June 5. It was moderated by the Committee Chairs Sargis Khandanyan and Gevorg Papoyan.
The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan presented the results and foreign policy priorities. According to the Minister, in the financial year, the issues of establishing peace and stability in the region, regulating relations with neighboring countries through peaceful negotiations, and forming a security environment around the Republic of Armenia continued to remain a priority. Negotiations with Azerbaijan continued, a number of meetings were held in all directions.
Ararat Mirzoyan mentioned that in connection with the aggression against the RA in September 2022, as well as the illegal closing of the Lachin Corridor, many statements were made on a number of platforms, including with the efforts of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Armenia has maintained and continued active involvement in multilateral platforms, also in a bilateral format. As of December of the financial year, the RA had established diplomatic relations with 178 countries. In 2022, two new representations were established in Armenia: the offices of the embassies of the Kingdom of Spain and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kapan.
The RA diplomatic representations are jointly accredited in 90 countries. In terms of the expansion of the legal contract field, in 2022, 83 international agreements were signed by the RA, 65 agreements were ratified or approved.
Work aimed at raising international awareness of Armenia’s foreign policy positions and strengthening Armenia’s international reputation continued.
Our country transfers membership fees to 106 international organizations and programmes. In 2022, the actual transfer was made to 90 organizations, the remaining 16 did not submit applications.
Large-scale works were carried out in overhauling the service buildings of the embassies, purchasing cars.
For the purpose of capital renovation, funds were transferred from the budget funds for the renovation of the buildings of the RA embassies in Minsk, Moscow, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Washington in the amount of about 440 thousand US dollars.
7 working and official visits of the President of the Republic, 23 of the Prime Minister, 27 of the Foreign Minister were made.
7 Presidents of foreign countries, 6 Heads of Government, 7 Heads of Foreign Ministries visited Armenia. There were 9 working visits of the Heads of the international organizations.
The deputy of Armenia Faction Artur Khachatryan addressed a question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Have you been authorized by the people of Artsakh, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh, to negotiate on their behalf regarding their future status?”
“We are not even trying to do such a thing. The only thing we are trying to ensure in Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement process is the following: we consider that this settlement cannot be realistic, complete, long-term and stable, if a platform, a dialogue mechanism is not created within its framework, where the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and official Baku can have a dialogue and negotiate on all the issues that are of concern and important for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and their future,” Ararat Mirzoyan underlined in response to Artur Khachatryan’s question.
The deputy Gegham Manukyan inquired about the processes of border delimitation and demarcation, recognition of each other’s territorial integrity by Armenia and Azerbaijan, and expressed concern that no high-ranking official of Azerbaijan has publicly announced that they recognize Armenia’s territory of 29,800 square kilometers.
“You have noticed correctly that the President of Azerbaijan did not publicly say that he recognizes the territorial integrity of Armenia with an area of 29.8 thousand square kilometers, but the meeting with the participation of the President of Azerbaijan was summarized by the statement of the President of the European Council Charles Michel, in which it was noted, that the countries recognized each other with those numbers: Azerbaijan recognizes Armenia by 29.8 square kilometers. After that, there was no public or non-public denial by Azerbaijan,” the Foreign Minister said, responding to the question.
“On the basis of which year’s maps should the delimitation and demarcation processes be carried out?” the MP Garnik Danielyan asked.
“There is no final agreement yet, but there is an obligation and commitment to carry out these works in line with the Alma-Ata Declaration,” the Minister said.
Gurgen Arsenyan’s question referred to the strengthening of the MFA toolkit, the increase of the RA diplomatic representations in different countries. The Head of the Foreign Ministry mentioned work is being done both with the Ministry of Finance and the Government partners to increase the programmes, but there are specific funds that should be distributed in specific directions. The Minister also assured that an attempt is being made to expand the geography recruiting new personnel, opening diplomatic representations, property and other issues.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia