Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Monday said all civilized countries must urge Azerbaijan to return Armenian prisoners of war.
Mirzoyan made the remarks during a joint press conference in Athens with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who hosted Armenia’s top diplomat.
After praising relations between Armenia and Greece, especially within the context of the Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trifecta, Mirzoyan discussed the current developments as they relate to the Karabakh conflict, opening of borders with Azerbaijan and normalization of relations with Turkey.
Mirzoyan said that he briefed his Greek counterpart about the situation created around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and highlighted Armenia’s position on the processes aimed at establishing regional peace and stability, the negotiations on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
He also touched upon issues related to the unblocking of regional economic communications and transport infrastructure, the works within the Commission on delimitation and demarcation of the border, which he said must ensure border security that could eventually lead to a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
He stressed the key role the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs can play in promoting the peace process for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“Armenia appreciates the position of Greece in support of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the mandate and within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship,” Mirzoyan said.
“I would also like to seize the opportunity and thank my good friend Nikos, who visited Yerevan during the 44-day war and expressed the sympathy of Greece and the Greek people to us in that crucial period. We will never forget that gesture of a strategic partner,” the Minister said.
Unfortunately, he added, more than a year and a half after the ceasefire, Azerbaijan continues its provocative actions against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, while the warmongering and expansionist rhetoric has become an integral part of the daily discourse of the leadership of Azerbaijan.
“Violating international humanitarian law and the obligations undertaken with the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, Azerbaijan continues to hold the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians in captivity, while the fate of hundreds of missing persons remains unresolved. All the civilized countries of the world, I repeat, all the civilized countries, using all possible opportunities, should contribute, call and insist Azerbaijan to return our prisoners,” Mirzoyan stressed.
“Throughout the millennia-long history, the Armenian people have created wonderful churches and monuments that are an integral part of the global cultural heritage. Today, unfortunately, part of this heritage is in danger of imminent destruction. As a result of the state-sponsored, official policy of the Azerbaijani authorities, we have desecrated churches, shattered monuments annihilated of their Armenian trace in the territories fallen under the control of Azerbaijan. Unlike many other such unacceptable cases, we can not say that the world is silent. The world, indeed, talks, and has expressed itself very clearly. One bright example of that is the decision of the UN Court of Justice to apply provisional measures in 2021, which obliges Azerbaijan to end this policy,” he added.
Mirzoyan stressed that Armenia expects “a clear, targeted and continuous response of the international community to this behavior of Azerbaijan and emphasize the urgency of the involvement of relevant international organizations in Nagorno-Karabakh, especially the implementation of the UNESCO fact-finding mission, which will be a significant step towards preserving this heritage.”
He stressed once again that “peace is our principle, our policy and strategy.”
“We are really aiming to build a peaceful, secure, stable South Caucasus, we hope that our neighbor will restrain from its expansionist aspirations, and will demonstrate a more constructive position on all issues,” emphasized Mirzoyan.
The Armenian foreign minister also said that he and his Greek counterpart emphasized the importance of signing of a multilateral agreement on the establishment of the “Persian Gulf-Black sea international transport-transit corridor” and also exchanged views on issues on the Armenia-EU partnership and the Eastern Partnership.
