Armenia and Azerbaijan Take Significant Steps, Says Arthur Hovhannisyan

Member of the Armenian National Assembly delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Arthur Hovhannisyan, delivered a speech at the 32nd annual session of the OSCE conference taking place in Portugal.

“First, I would like to thank for the report. It is evident that extensive work has been done. Since our previous meeting in Vienna, Armenia and Azerbaijan have taken significant and important steps towards establishing peace. An agreement has been reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan on establishing peace and interstate relations. In this situation, there is no need to burden the already complex discussions. The support of the international community is necessary for Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign the document as soon as possible without preconditions.

The leader of Armenia has publicly expressed his readiness multiple times. The signing of the document will signify the establishment of interstate relations, which in turn will allow us to discuss various issues in a more positive atmosphere. For the past three decades, the peoples of the South Caucasus have suffered greatly, and now we have the opportunity to halt the cycle of conflicts and the suffering of our nations’ residents.

Peace is a necessity for the protection of our peoples' rights and well-being, and we see this opportunity more than ever.”