Ararat Mirzoyan on the CSTO's Targeted Response to Azerbaijan's Actions in Minsk

Within the framework of the CSTO Ministerial Council meeting, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko welcomed the foreign ministers of member states in Minsk on June 20. During the meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan provided updates on recent developments in the region, notably along the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Minister Mirzoyan reiterated Azerbaijan's ongoing occupation of the sovereign territory of Armenia, a CSTO member state, and addressed Azerbaijan's continued aggressive actions against Armenia's sovereign territory and internationally recognized borders, particularly the targeting of Armenian positions and civilian objects along the border in recent days, stressing their destabilizing impact on overall regional stability and security.

In this context, Minister Mirzoyan emphasized the imperative for a targeted CSTO response. He also discussed the tense situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and its surroundings, including provocations by Azerbaijan in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping forces, the incident near the Hakari Bridge on June 15, as well as the humanitarian issues arising from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor that has lasted over six months, and the growing danger of ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan.

Minister Mirzoyan highlighted that these actions by Azerbaijan are aimed at hindering efforts to achieve stability in the South Caucasus, not only for Armenia but also for all parties concerned with ensuring stability and predictability in the region.

Presenting the Armenian vision for establishing lasting peace in the region, Ararat Mirzoyan underscored the importance of abandoning the politics of force or the threat of force, seeking solutions to existing problems through constructive dialogue, and, among other issues, addressing the security and rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Following this, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan participated in the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in both narrow and expanded formats. The agenda included discussions on CSTO activities and regional developments. In the narrow-format CSTO meeting, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan again addressed the recent events in the South Caucasus, emphasizing that against the backdrop of escalating conflicts through the use of force and the unstable situation in the South Caucasus, the importance of unwavering compliance with contractual obligations, appropriate conclusions from the CSTO, and clear assessments regarding gross violations of Armenia's borders becomes increasingly evident.