Armenian, Chinese FMs Discuss Karabakh conflict and Economy

YEREVAN — Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has briefed his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the current state of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process in a phone call on Wednesday.

“Presenting Armenia’s position on the establishment of peace and stability in the region, Ararat Mirzoyan stressed the importance of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in different directions as well as the role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” reported the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

“The two sides emphasized the viability of the existing internationally accepted format of negotiations as well as the promotion of the peace process,” it said in a statement.

Wang and Mirzoyan also stressed the importance of unblocking Armenia’s economic and transport links with Azerbaijan. They agreed that this will help to boost Chinese-Armenian commercial ties, added the Foreign Ministry statement.

China is already Armenia’s second most important trading partner after Russia. Chinese-Armenian trade surged by over 30 percent, to $1.26 billion, last year.

The two foreign ministers also discussed Chinese-Armenian relations. They said their governments are ready to “resolutely strengthen and deepen” them, according to the statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his new Armenian counterpart Vahagn Khachaturyan made similar pledges earlier this month when they exchanged congratulatory messages on the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.