ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER EDWARD NALBANDYAN DELIVERED SPEECH AT THE 17TH SESSION OF THE OSCE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
ARMENPRESS
Dec 3, 2009
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan delivered speech December 2 at the 17th session of the OSCE
Ministerial Council. Armenian Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department told Armenpress that in his speech the minister referred
to agenda issues, necessity of improvement of the European security.
The Armenian minister drew the attention of the OSCE member-states’
ministers to the violation of the international commitment on
ammunition restriction by Azerbaijan and one of the basic principles
of the international right – non-usage of force or force threat.
Minister Nalbandyan also referred to the process of normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations, highlighting the ratification of the
Armenian-Turkish protocols. According to the minister, the groundless
dragging of the process and forwarding of preconditions, including the
attempts of tying it with Karabakh conflict regulation may harm the
two processes. Edward Nalbandyan pointed out that all the countries
expressed their positive attitude toward the normalization of relations
between Armenia and Turkey, only one country – Azerbaijan expresses
negatively going against not only OSCE Basic Principles but the whole
international community.
Referring to the negotiations over Karabakh conflict settlement,
Edward Nalbandyan pointed out the importance of preservation of the
positive dynamics formed as a result of the meetings of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents.
The second day of the Ministerial Council was full with bilateral
meetings. First meeting Edward Nalbandyan conducted with the acting
chairman of the OSCE, Greek Prime Minister Georgiou Papandreou. The
Armenian minister conveyed to the Greek prime minister the greetings
of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and expressed delight over
the close cooperation established between the two countries.
The Greek prime minister and Armenian foreign minister discussed
a wide-range of issue on bilateral relations, highly assessed the
established political dialogue and referred to the steps undertaken
for the consolidation of cooperation.
The interlocutors exchanged thoughts over the OSCE agenda issues,
Armenia-EU cooperation and regional issues.
In Athens the Armenian minister met with the OSCE Secretary General
Marc Perrin de Brichambaut. The parties discussed issues on different
spheres of the activity of OSCE, exchanged thoughts over the reforms
in the organization.
Minister Nalbandyan noted that Armenia highlights the role of OSCE in
ensuring security and cooperation in Europe and will continue practical
participation in all the platforms of activity of the organization.
During the meeting the sides also discussed a number of regional
issues, refereed to the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations and negotiations over the Karabakh conflict regulation.
The next meeting of the Armenian minister was with the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland. Edward Nalbandyan
congratulated Thorbjorn Jagland on being elected as Secretary General,
expressing conviction that he will have his notable contribution to the
implementation of the goals of the establishment. During the meeting
the interlocutors discussed a number of issues connected with the
activity of Council of Europe, referred to the normalization process
of Armenian-Turkish relations. Minister Nalbandyan invited Secretary
General of the Council of Europe to visit Yerevan.
At the meeting with the Belarus Foreign Minister Sergey Martinov,
Edward Nalbandyan discussed the implementation of arrangements reached
during the meeting of the Armenian and Belarus presidents.
Before departing from Athens, the minister met with the leadership
of the ARF Greek office. On the same day ending his visit to Greece,
the minister leaded to Yerevan.