YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended on December 28 the reception at the Foreign Ministry of Armenia on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas.

As “Armenpress” was informed from the press service of the Armenian President’s Office, Serzh Sargsyan congratulated and extended warm wishes to the staff of the Ministry and all the diplomats, as well the Ambassadors accredited in Armenia on the occasion of the coming holidays. In his speech the President spoke about Armenia’s main foreign policy achievements in the passing 2016 year, the still existing problems and challenges, the works done thank to Armenia’s active involvement in integration processes and international organizations, Armenia’s diplomatic efforts for Nagorno Karabakh conflicts settlement.

“The passing year was symbolic for us. Armenia marked the 25th anniversary of independence. 25 years ago our diplomacy was just starting to make its first steps like our newly independent state.

Today Armenia presents itself to the world with a constructive, balanced, reliable and principled diplomacy.

Whoever is familiar with our diplomatic handwriting should know that Armenia is guided by the principle “for the sake of”, but not “against””, President Sargsyan said in his speech pointing our t a number of examples of Armenia’s constructive involvement in various international activities, such as peace keeping missions or participation of integration processes.

“Armenia’s positions and opinions are rather clear and comprehensive for the international community due to our consistent and principled foreign policy, due to your principled foreign policy.

The results of the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits following the April aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan prove my words. The statement issued by the foreign ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair states in Hamburg at the end of the year evidently demonstrated to what extent the Azerbaijani rhetoric over Nagorno Karabakh conflict have nothing to do with the reality” President of Armenia said, adding that at the same time the statement showed how much our approaches in harmony with those of the international community.

Speaking about the options for Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, President Sargsyan once again reaffirmed that there is no other document on the negotiation table apart from the Madrid principles. “I am not an experienced diplomat, but most probably diplomacy is the art of reaching reciprocal concessions”, he stressed.

Referring to the issue why they do not share all the details on the talks with the public, Serzh Sargsyan pointed out two main reasons, “When preparing for negotiations one cannot expose his tools, tactics or strategies, because in the contemporary world when you say something in Yerevan, it immediately becomes a public knowledge in Baku, Washington, Moscow, Paris. This is first. Everybody knows that there is a well-known principle – nothing is agreed if everything is not agreed”, Serzh Sargsyan said. He added that the fact is that since 2007, the adoption of Madrid principles as the basis of the negotiations, Armenia has pursued only one goal, which is defining the final status of Nagorno Karabakh by the people of Nagorno Karabakh and we will never abandon this principle.

“Our diplomacy introduced to the international community the April aggression against Artsakh by Azerbaijan and the gross violations of international obligations and humanitarian law. The Republic of Armenia, together with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries continues to make efforts for establishing peace. Armenia is a peace campaigner. We comprehend well enough the value of peace”, the Armenian President stressed.

President Sargsyan also touched upon the issue efficient governance. In this context he highlighted the parliamentary elections in 2017 as a key point for bringing into life efficient governance. “I am glad we witnessed in the passing year an example of political maturity, when the parliamentary political forces were able to reach a consensus over the control mechanisms aimed at ensuring legitimacy to electoral processes”, he said, expressing gratitude to international donors for financial and advisory assistance. Serzh Sargsyan assured that the leadership of Armenia is determined to hold elections in line with the legislation and international standards, hoping that they will become the best elections of the 25 year history of Armenia’s independence.

The President of Armenia once again congratulated all the present and extended warm wishes to them asking the foreign Ambassadors accredited in Armenia to convene his warm wishes to the leaderships and peoples of their countries.