Ararat Mirzoyan: We see connection between Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan processes

June 9 2022

Mirzoyan said this during joint news conference with the Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Yerevan.

 

“On the other hand, despite Turkey’s continued statements that the normalization process should take place without any preconditions, we see a connection between the Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan processes – a connection that the representatives of the Turkish authorities try to find or emphasize on every occasion. We do not think this to be constructive. There are also some differences in terms of tempo,” he said.

 

Speaking about Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, Ararat Mirzoyan said that the negotiations are going on in several directions “with the ideas not coinciding in various issues.”

 

“We believe in the peace process, but in the normalization of relations, we consider it impossible not to refer to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, not to address it and not to give a political solution to that conflict. We believe that the talks should take place within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group,” the Armenian minister said.

 

Ararat Mirzoyan also referred to the ongoing negotiations on demarcation and border security issues.

 

“Saying negotiations is a bit exaggerated for this stage, but the beginning is set, the second meeting of the commission will take place in Moscow. We see some positive progress in terms of unblocking regional economic and trade infrastructure. It would be wrong to say that we have a full picture, but there is a positive shift.  Baku’s continued holding of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, encroachments on cultural monuments, anti-Armenian rhetoric and provocative actions only undermine these processes,” Ararat Mirzoyan said.