Statement by the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan following the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Brazil Mauro Vieira
Dear Minister Viera,
First, I sincerely thank you for the invitation and warm hospitality extended to my delegation during this visit. Brazil’s and your personal interest in fostering closer ties with Armenia is deeply appreciated, and we are eager to build upon the strong foundation of our longstanding friendship.
Dear colleagues,
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Brazil was among the first Latin American nations to recognize Armenia’s independence in 1991 and, in 2006, became the first South American country to establish a resident embassy in Yerevan. Armenia and Brazil share fundamental democratic values and principles, which serve as the foundation of our political dialogue and cooperation. Over the past three decades, our diplomatic relations have evolved into a meaningful and multifaceted cooperation.
This visit presents an opportunity to chart a more ambitious course for the future, including cooperation beyond traditional areas of mutual interest.
While we look into possibilities of extending the legal framework and continue working on different draft agreements, today I am pleased to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between the Diplomatic School of Armenia and the Rio Branco Institute of Brazil. We are keen to further enhance our bilateral cooperation on education, innovation, high-tech, IT and digital banking: these are areas where we are both ready to share and learn from Brazil’s experience.
Despite the geographical distance, there is significant potential to expand our trade relations. Last year saw some increase in bilateral trade turnover, but certainly, there is a huge potential for much more.
To boost stronger economic relations, with Minister Vieira we emphasized the commitment to foster direct business-to-business (B2B) connections. In this regard, I should commend the presence of the strong Brazilian delegation at the special edition of the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) of the Organization of the American States (OAS), held in October 2024, in Armenia.
Today, with Minister Viera we noted with satisfaction the cooperation between our countries in international fora, including the United Nations and its specialized agencies, as well as the Organization of American States. We look forward to working closely with Brazil on crucial global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity conservation. I confirmed to Minister Vieira that our delegation will join COP30 in Belém in November this year, and we look forward to welcoming Brazilian representatives to COP17 in Yerevan in 2026. We both look forward to closer cooperation in this context.
Moreover we supported and became a founding member of the Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, initiated by Brazil.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today we exchanged views on international developments and tendencies. I briefed Minister Vieira on Armenia’s expanding partnerships, be it the strategic partnership with the United States or deepening of cooperation with the European Union.
Of course, we also spoke about regional issues. While we witness uncertainties and security challenges across many regions, Armenia has faced many security challenges firsthand, and the South Caucasus has seen many confrontations. Yet, my country remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving lasting peace in the South Caucasus. I am sure you heard about the most recent development regarding the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan: by agreeing to the most recent edition of the draft Peace Treaty, Armenia paved the way for finalization of the draft text and the negotiations on the draft. We appreciate Brazil’s immediate reaction to this development. So the Treaty is ready to sign, and Armenia is ready to sign the Treaty which can become a key pillar in building lasting peace in the region.
Other pillars are the border delimitation and unblocking of regional communication. Last year we made significant progress in border delimitation based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, having successfully delimited and demarcated over 12 kilometers of the borderline.
On unblocking regional communications, we have made very concrete proposals to Azerbaijan, which, if implemented, could allow the functioning of the railway, then perhaps lead to broader opportunities for enhanced connectivity. Of course, as you can imagine the topic of connectivity goes beyond the borders of our two countries, and with the vision of both contributing and becoming part of larger logistical routes, Armenia has initiated the “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, a project aimed at achieving an inclusive regional connectivity framework of roads, railways, pipelines, and energy networks.
For more predictability and creation of mutual trust, Armenia also put forward constructive initiatives on mutual arms control and verification measures.
Regrettably, the mentioned proposals have not been constructively reciprocated by Azerbaijan: we still lack a positive response to the proposals on communication and arms control mechanisms.
While we have announced the finalization of the draft Peace Treaty, the past several days saw an intensification of the Azerbaijani totally false accusations of ceasefire violations, categorically refuted by Armenia. To reach that desired goal of peace, Armenia’s strong political will should be reciprocated.
If peace is to be achieved, both sides must commit to fostering an environment of trust and dialogue. In this regard, addressing the unresolved humanitarian issues — such as the release of Armenian POWs and other detained persons would significantly ease the situation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Armenia pursues a balanced and forward-looking foreign policy — one that seeks to maintain stability, expand economic opportunities, and reinforce our commitment to democratic values. Our partnership with Brazil exemplifies the potential of international cooperation rooted in mutual respect and shared interests.
As we move forward, we remain dedicated to deepening our bilateral ties with Brazil and other global partners, fostering peace in our region, and contributing to a more just and equitable international order.
I once again express my sincere gratitude to Minister Vieira and the Brazilian government for their support and engagement. We look forward to many more years of fruitful collaboration and friendship.
Thank you.
