12:39,

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ara Aivazian held a telephone conversation on March 31 with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

Minister Aivazian reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to further deepen and strengthen the relations with the Holy See, which he said, are based on common historical and spiritual values. They exchanged views on the actions aimed at the close dialogue and the strengthening of the dynamics of high-level talks.

The officials discussed regional security and stability-related issues. The Armenian FM highlighted the calls of Pope Francis for the stop to the military operations and the establishment of peace in the post-war period.

The Armenian FM presented the ongoing steps aimed at addressing the humanitarian problems caused by the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression. As a matter requiring urgent solution, the minister highlighted the safe repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war who are held captive in Azerbaijan.

Emphasizing the urgency of preserving the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in the territories of Artsakh which have come under the Azerbaijani control, the Armenian FM strongly condemned Azerbaijan’s policy of deliberately destructing the Christian cultural values. In this sense he attached importance to the active interference of the international community.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan