Press statement of Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and answers to the questions of journalists during the joint press conference with the Foreign Minister of Estonia
“Dear Minister,
Dear attendees,
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I am pleased to host you and your delegation in Yerevan. I should state that this year the relations between our two countries were marked by quite active political dialogue, full of mutual high-level visits, interactions on international platforms and political consultations. I am pleased to emphasize our productive discussions today, during which we expressed our willingness to take effective steps to maintain the current positive momentum in the development of relations between our countries and to pursue the expansion of our agenda.
Dear attendees,
Today my colleague and I engaged in a discussion, covering a quite wide range of topics. In addition to expanding political dialogue, we have also emphasized the economic component of bilateral relations, as well as maximizing the development potential of close cooperation in target areas. In particular, I would like to emphasize the tangible possibilities of sharing experiences and implementing joint projects related to the rapidly evolving field of information technologies in both countries. Of course, this field is highly interconnected with education and science. Here we have the potential to combine our capabilities as well and we will work in that direction.
I briefed my Estonian counterpart on the process of implementing democratic reforms in Armenia and expressed my gratitude for being with us on this important path.
We touched upon the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and the active cooperation among the parliamentary friendship groups in the parliaments of our two countries.
Of course, we discussed issues related to the Armenia-EU partnership as well. Touched upon the steps towards enhancing the economic and social sustainability of Armenia in the long term. Considering regional stability, we emphasized the importance of expanding the EU civilian mission in Armenia and, of course, Estonia’s involvement in it. You are aware that two days ago the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted a decision on expanding the mission, which our government greatly welcomes. I reiterated the willingness of the Government of Armenia to deepen relations with the EU to the extent deemed possible by the EU.
Dear Minister, dear Margus,
Our previous meeting took place on September 18, in New York, on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Of course, we also had a brief conversation two days ago in Brussels. Significant regional developments have occurred within three months since the meeting in September. Then we discussed the rights and security issues of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the issues of lifting the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor. However, the situation in the region has significantly changed after the attack by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, which occurred the day after our meeting. Today, there are almost no Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of ethnic cleansing. More than 100,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have become refugees, seeking shelter in the Republic of Armenia, and our Government has spared no effort to address their primary needs.
Once again, I would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Estonia for supporting us in meeting the primary needs of refugees. The establishment of the Estonian Refugee Council office in Yerevan, which will officially take place today, is very symbolic.
We also appreciate the supporting statements of executive and legislative representatives of Estonia to our efforts towards the establishment of peace and stability in the region.
Now, to close the page of the use of force and conflicts in the South Caucasus, and establish a dignified peace, we need the clear commitment of all neighboring countries and the strong, genuine support of international partners. There are certainly challenges and a complicated history, but it is still possible to move forward with the peace process. For this to happen, Azerbaijan must implicitly demonstrate its loyalty to the peace process and well-known principles – mutual recognition of clear borders, recognition of territorial integrity without ambiguities, as well as unblocking and restoring regional infrastructures based on the well-known principles. In this regard, we also consider the “Crossroads of Peace” program, initiated by the Government of Armenia, to be important. I also should note that these principles were approved by the entire international community at the quadrilateral meeting in Granada and these principles are reflected in the statement made by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, following the trilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you once again for today’s discussion, for your visit, dear Minister, for all the commitments you made on behalf of Estonia, I reiterate the commitments I made on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, and let’s move forward optimistically. I thank you”.
In response to the statement of the Foreign Minister of Estonia regarding the initiating of the process of the Armenian Genocide recognition, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan stated: “We have been waiting for this decision for a long time. Thank you very much, Minister. We were looking forward to it.”
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Question (Public TV). Good afternoon, thank you for this opportunity. I have a question for both ministers. Minister Mirzoyan, you recently returned from Brussels where you had a full agenda. How would you assess the discussions, meetings and results? And, Minister Tsahkna, you touched upon the current dynamics between the EU and Armenia. Could you elaborate on your vision for more tangible prospects, specifically for 2024? Thank you.”
Answer (Ararat Mirzoyan). Yes, indeed, there were two events in Brussels. First, it was an honor for me to attend an informal breakfast with the Foreign Ministers of the European Union and its member states where we discussed Armenia-EU relations. Additionally, we also discussed the Eastern Partnership format, which involved the Foreign Ministers of the EU and the countries that are part of the Eastern Partnership. In the first part, we focused on the ongoing Armenia-EU processes, as the title or format suggests. I should reiterate that Armenia is deepening its relations with the EU. This has been reaffirmed multiple times, including by EU High Representative Borrell and Foreign Ministers of other member states, as we heard yesterday. The European Union is supporting the ongoing democratic reforms in Armenia. The EU and Armenia are now exploring ways to provide economic diversity for Armenian products and diversify Armenia’s economy in general. There are discussions currently taking place in various fields, including very concrete programs and directions. However, I cannot provide further details at this time as these discussions are still in progress. Hopefully, these discussions will be continuous and will lead to positive conclusions and we will be able to share more information publicly.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government
