Armenia FM: Escalation of Situation on Azerbaijan’s Part is a Slap in the Face of International Community

VIENNA — On December 11, at the “Armenia” Center adjunct to the Embassy of Armenia in Vienna, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian held the annual consultations of the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Armenia accredited to the European countries and international organizations.

Edward Nalbandian discussed with Ambassadors the process of realization of instructions given by the President of Armenia, the implementation of tasks set before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summed up the works carried out in 2015 and gave respective instructions on the steps to be implemented next year.

At the consultation, the participants touched upon the cooperation within the framework of international organizations, the priorities of the Armenian Chairmanship at the CSTO, the cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the results of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade, the Ministerial Conference of the International Organization of La Francophonie in Yerevan, as well as the recent developments in Armenia’s foreign policy.

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on strengthening of the cooperation with the European countries, the launch of negotiations on a new Armenia-European Union framework agreement.

At the meeting, they outlined the importance of further development of political dialogue with the European countries and institutions, touched upon the Embassies’ steps towards the development of inter-parliamentary ties, the expansion of decentralized cooperation, as well as the activities in the information field and with the NGOs of the hosting countries.

The Armenian Genocide Centennial was an important subject for discussions. The participants summed up the events organized on this occasion and their results, discussed the activities carried out towards the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, prevention of new genocides and crimes against humanity. Within this context Minister Nalbandian noted: “The recorded results oblige us to act in a more purposeful and consistent way”.

The Heads of Armenia’s diplomatic missions briefed on the ongoing processes in the countries of their accreditation and international organizations and the measures taken towards the development of relations with Armenia.

The agenda of meeting included the joint efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at the peaceful settlement of the issue, as well as the current situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process in the result of the Azerbaijani provocative actions. In this context, Minister Nalbandian noted that the recent drastic escalation of situation by Azerbaijan, in response to the calls voiced in Belgrade by the Heads of Delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries to reaffirm the commitment to the exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict through negotiations, is a slap in the face of the Co-Chair countries and the international community.

The participants of consultations discussed in details the activities of diplomatic representations towards economic diplomacy and measures taken to develop trade and economic relations with partner countries.

A number of pressing regional and international issues, as well as the stance of Armenia on the ways of their solution were touched upon.