Mirzoyan: "Armenia and Azerbaijan are still holding negotiations about negotiations"
On 26 May, the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that Armenia and Azerbaijan are still holding "negotiations about negotiations."
Mirzoyan spoke about a possible peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and said the sides are still working out the parameters, structure, and format of negotiations.
"We have our clear positions, Azerbaijan has those of its own. Some mediators express their positions from time to time, which sometimes coincide, more often don't, but negotiations are also for resolving such issues," Mirzoyan said in a Q&A session in parliament. Mirzoyan said some progress has been reached in several directions on the supposed negotiation table, such as the first meeting on border demarcation and border security. According to him, there are "certain coincidences" in the reopening of transport and economic infrastructure in the region. The Minister noted that Armenia should not allow the creation of "a negotiation vacuum." He added that the Armenian side also welcomes the EU efforts, which "are already yielding tangible results."
Earlier, Caucasus Watch reported that the 132nd Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe was held in Turin, Italy with the participation of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, who in his speech noted the important role of the Council of Europe in helping countries build strong democratic institutions and stressed that today "we are witnessing an impending decline security architecture," which did not just start in the last few months. "Two years ago, we felt the collapse of multilateralism and a split in international structures, when Azerbaijan, violating the principle of non-use of force, unleashed a war against Nagorno-Karabakh and its people. Two years have passed since that terrible time, and Azerbaijan insists that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been resolved and they are ready for peace,” he stated.
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