The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk was also present at the meeting.
“Armenia is preparing to sign a new agreement with the European Union. In addition, we’ve arrived here to not allow propaganda and anti-Armenian rhetoric during an event in which European lawmakers are also participating. Unfortunately, such rhetoric was allowed in certain speeches. However, it must be taken into consideration that we didn’t come here to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh conflict”, he said.
To the question if the army will oppose the surrender of territories, Movses Hakobyan answered that the army will do whatever the political leadership decides. “Moreover, we need new and better territories that will ensure the security of Artsakh”, Hakobyan said.
It is obvious for everyone that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is stalling because of Azerbaijan, Armenia’s deputy foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said on the sidelines of the closing session of the Armenia-Diaspora forum.
Armenia has never made the recognition of the Armenian Genocide a precondition for the normalization of the bilateral relations with Turkey, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in his speech in the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York.
Over the years, Armenia has become a fully-fledged and responsible member of the international community. There had been numerous challenges in before of us, and we withstood them with dignity. The most important and intricate one was the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
“The EEU is a very simple economic platform, it is a club where five countries have agreed upon the rules of working in it. And the indicators which we are publishing – exports, imports, economic growth, are the very consequence of this policy”, he said.
He highlighted that on this path it is necessary to be realistic, honest and constructive, be free from all types of illusions, clearly and sincerely assess the expectations of Armenia and the Diaspora and the reality.
The agreement with the EU is planned to be signed during the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels in November.
The Defense Minister also referred to Armenia-Russia military cooperation and the official visits paid by him. “I paid my first visit to Russia as a Defense Minister, and despite the existing rumors Russia was and remains our reliable ally”, he said.
