Meeting of the Foreign Minister of Armenia with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe

On April 8, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić. The meeting was held within the framework of the official visit of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to Armenia.

At the meeting, topics of cooperation between Armenia and the Council of Europe as well as issues of regional stability were discussed.

Minister Mirzoyan emphasised the important and effective cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the Council of Europe aimed at implementing the priorities and reform agenda of the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the areas of the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and the protection of human rights. In this context, the implementation of the 2023-2026 Armenia-CoE Action Plan was touched upon. Minister Mirzoyan also emphasised the quick response of the CoE after Azerbaijan's military attack against Nagorno-Karabakh last September and the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the importance of adapting the said program to address the new challenges.

Thoughts were exchanged on addressing the mid-term and long-term needs of the rights of more than 100,000 Armenians forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, especially the vulnerable groups. Minister Mirzoyan emphasised that the Armenian Government continues its efforts in that direction, including with the support of international partners.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe touched upon the steps aimed at establishing a stable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus. In this context, Ararat Mirzoyan emphasised the respective efforts of Armenia, stressing the importance of creating an atmosphere free from hostility and a clear commitment to key issues. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia presented Armenia's approach on two key issues in the normalisation process of relations with Azerbaijan: reaffirming the recognition of territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, and unblocking regional communications. Ararat Mirzoyan stressed the importance of adherence to the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, as well as the well-known principles of international law.