The visit of the OSCE Chair-in-Office to the region is taking place under entirely new circumstances — in the context of significant developments for our region, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan stated at a joint press conference with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland and OSCE Chair Elina Valtonen.
The minister noted that he briefed his counterpart on the established of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, presented the details of the agreement initialed on August 8, and outlined the principles under which the unblocking of transport infrastructure will be implemented.
“It is no secret that the OSCE, through its instruments, was meant to support the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus. Now that peace has been achieved, we have, among other agreements, started the process of dissolving the structures of the OSCE Minsk Group.
These new realities also shape a new context for Armenia’s cooperation with the OSCE and participation within the organization. As a country facing new circumstances, we need to identify new horizons and formats for cooperation and engagement. We are particularly interested in opportunities for economic cooperation, as well as issues related to environmental protection and the climate agenda.
Secondly, we place great hope that the OSCE platform, during this and the upcoming chairmanships, will contribute to the further consolidation of peace. This concerns not only the South Caucasus but the entire OSCE area. It is crucial to focus on this platform, especially in the context of eliminating enmity between peoples”, Mirzoyan said, citing the clause of the Washington-initialed agreement that relates to overcoming hostility between peoples.
According to the minister, Armenia, in general, seeks to see a strong and effective OSCE — an organization functioning efficiently across all three dimensions.
“In the current geopolitical environment, the OSCE needs the firm commitment of participating states, as well as their unwavering adherence to the spirit and principles of the Helsinki Final Act, in order to strengthen the organization’s effectiveness and resilience. This will allow the OSCE to fully implement its core mandate — contributing to security and stability throughout the OSCE area, supporting conflict resolution, preventing gross human rights violations, and advancing efforts to restore violated rights.
Armenia has consistently advocated for the full application of the principles of the Helsinki Final Act throughout the OSCE area of responsibility, and we will continue to direct our efforts toward this goal”, the minister concluded.
