10:21,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met on Thursday in Zagreb with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Mirzoyan and Plenković noted that the latest high-level contacts have intensified the bilateral cooperation which is based on friendship, mutual understanding and common values, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a readout. Mirzoyan and Plenković also noted that the visit is taking place in the year marking the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Croatia.

The Armenian FM and the Croatian Prime Minister discussed possibilities to further develop the agenda of cooperation between the two countries, deepen political dialogue and develop trade-economic ties, as well as enhance cooperation in other areas of mutual interest. The development of partnership in the context of strengthening Armenia-EU cooperation was also highlighted and the existing dynamics in this direction was emphasized.

Mirzoyan and Plenković also discussed issues pertaining to security and stability. FM Mirzoyan presented to the Croatian Prime Minister the Armenian side’s approaches based on the well-known principles regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process and the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus.

Speaking about the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Foreign Minister emphasized the need for restraining the approach of the use of force to resolve issues in the region, and for ruling out Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggressive rhetoric and territorial ambitions.

The Crossroads of Peace project developed by the Armenian government, namely its political and economic components, were also discussed.