Russia Played a Key Role in Halting Turkish-Azerbaijani Aggression Against Artsakh, Says Armenian Foreign Minister

The official website of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published the opening remarks of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Ayvazyan and responses to journalists' questions during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“Dear Sergey Viktorovich,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Russian side, represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, for the warm welcome and constructive, meaningful dialogue.

I find it significant that my first visit as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia is to Moscow, which clearly testifies to the unique nature of relations between Armenia and Russia. I am confident that today's negotiations will give a new impetus to the further strengthening and development of our alliance.

Sergey Lavrov and I already had the opportunity to meet once in Yerevan. We also maintain constant contact on various issues, and today’s visit is a logical continuation of the already established tradition of relations between our countries and the ministries we lead.

Today, we discussed a wide range of international and regional issues, primarily, of course, issues of peace and security in the region. Naturally, the main emphasis was placed on the situation that has developed in our region during the past months, in light of the joint statement adopted on November 9.

Russia has played a key role in halting the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression unleashed against the people of Artsakh, which lasted for more than six weeks. Thanks to the personal mediation of President Vladimir Putin, it became possible to agree and adopt a joint trilateral statement on November 9, which established a ceasefire on the ground and the deployment of Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The presence of Russian peacekeepers creates conditions for the restoration of regional peace and stability and serves as a guarantor against provocations from Azerbaijan, its regional patron Turkey, and the foreign militant terrorists recruited by them.

The cessation of military operations creates an opportunity for discussions on the resumption of the peace process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

We also discussed a large package of issues related to the severe humanitarian situation created in Artsakh due to targeted shelling of peaceful settlements and civilian essential infrastructure by the armed forces of Azerbaijan. We thank you for your operational and effective participation in addressing humanitarian issues. In this context, we consider the involvement of international specialized organizations crucial for resolving humanitarian issues on the ground.

In the context of humanitarian issues, a priority issue, as Sergey Lavrov has already mentioned, is the urgent and unconditional exchange of prisoners of war and hostages, as well as the immediate return of remains. We expressed our readiness to carry out the exchange on the principle of 'all for all' and expect that there will be no attempts by the Azerbaijani side to sabotage the process.

At the same time, cases of inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians who have found themselves in a hostage situation on the Azerbaijani side continue without pause. Our prisoners of war, as well as civilians who could not leave their homes, are subjected to brutal torture and beheading while alive, just as the Islamic State treated its hostages in the Middle East.

The manifestations of vandalism and desecration against Armenian monuments and religious sites, churches, and temples in Artsakh are also striking. During this aggression and the subsequent period, we and the international community witnessed a new wave of manifestations of anti-Armenian policies, which for decades the military-political leadership of Baku has instilled in Azerbaijani society.

Essentially, Turkey, which is the main instigator and inspirer of Azerbaijani aggression against the people of Artsakh, continues to pursue a destructive policy for the region today. This obliges the international community to activate all possible levers to force Turkey to refrain from any actions that may further escalate tensions.

Turkey must completely withdraw its armed forces personnel and its associated armed terrorist groups from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and from the South Caucasus in general. So far, there are no clear signals of the withdrawal of foreign militant terrorists from the conflict zone. On the contrary, there is reliable information that Azerbaijan is planning to expand the geography of the spread of militant terrorists and mercenaries and resettle them in the occupied areas of Artsakh.

During today’s negotiations, I once again emphasized the imperative of restoring and realizing all rights of the population of Artsakh, which numbers one hundred and fifty thousand, in their historical homeland. In the context of efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, I want to emphasize clearly that the core issue underlying the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. Armenia has stood, stands, and will continue to stand for the recognition of the rights of the people of Artsakh for self-determination and security.

Lasting and stable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be achieved through negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, the only format with an international mandate for conflict resolution.

In closing my remarks, I want to note that the current situation and the dynamics of regional developments once again confirm the importance of closer cooperation between our countries' foreign affairs ministries and the coordination of that cooperation on the international stage. Once again, I express my gratitude for the warm welcome; we look forward to seeing you in Yerevan. Thank you.”

Question: “The agreements regarding Nagorno-Karabakh from November 9 are clearly just temporary steps on the road to resolving the Karabakh conflict. Are there any substantive discussions planned soon between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, or even at a higher level, and when can such meetings take place?”
Ara Ayvazyan: “I would not say that the trilateral statement of November 9 is temporary; it is a cornerstone statement regarding the cessation of fire and bloodshed, and it outlines key criteria for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict related to the return of refugees and other issues. But, naturally, the main priority issues are part of comprehensive negotiations that will begin immediately after the situation in the conflict zone stabilizes, and I share Sergey Lavrov's opinion that in this sense, there is a certain cautious optimism. I believe we all must do everything to prevent a repetition of the tragedy that occurred in the last two months. Naturally, we also emphasize the importance of the joint statement adopted last week by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group within the framework of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE, which demonstrates the international support for this format for further and final resolution of the issue. Soon, there is an expectation of a visit by the co-chairs to the region, as well as the start of consultations between foreign ministers and co-chairs, which, I believe, will pave the way for the initiation of a new negotiation process in the future.”

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