17:21, 2 April, 2021
YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS. The session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers was held today in Moscow. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian also participated in the session, the MFA told Armenpress.
The discussion focused on issues relating to strengthening the cooperation between the CIS participating states, raising the efficiency of the organization, etc.
During the session the foreigner ministers of the CIS states touched upon the current regional affairs, as well as approved the draft decision on the statement of the leaders of the CIS participating states addressed to the nations of the participating states and the global community on the 80th anniversary of the launch of the Great Patriotic War.
In his remarks, the Armenian FM stated that the victory in the Great Patriotic War is also a clear call to build peace without wars, conflicts and violence.
In the context of regional security and stability-related issues, the FM drew the attention of the session participants to the current humanitarian situation in Artsakh caused by the recent Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression with the involvement of foreign terrorists. He presented in details the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the military operations, such as the deliberate targeting of the peaceful civilians and civilian infrastructure, the inhuman treatment against the prisoners of war and other detained citizens, stating that all these actions were aimed at eliminating the indigenous people of Artsakh in their historic homeland.
Minister Aivazian also touched upon the implementation process of the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement, stressing the necessity of the immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war and detained civilians from the Azerbaijani captivity.
In addition, the minister also raised the issue of alarming facts on vandalism against the Armenian religious and cultural heritage. He emphasized the impermissibility of another cultural genocide by Azerbaijan, noting that the establishment of peace on the ruins of the Armenian churches is impossible.
Summing up his remarks the minister said lasting and stable peace in the region is possible to achieve only through the comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict based on the principles of the international law, the people’s right to self-determination and equality, within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
