South Caucasus stands at a crucial juncture today - Armenian Foreign Minister

YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. The South Caucasus, historically a cultural crossroads and a major trade route, stands at a crucial juncture today, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said in his message ahead of the Yerevan Dialogue International Conference, scheduled for September 9-11, according to the foreign ministry.

“The world is changing rapidly before our eyes. The evolving landscape of global relations, the erosion of international law, the crisis of multilateralism present stark challenges. Democracy is under strain. The decline of cooperation on peace and security threatens to fray the very fabric of the global order. The hybrid threats and climate change continue to affect daily livelihood in more places of the globe.

At the same time, we witness a quest for better connectivity and new routes to connect Asia and Europe as well as remarkable digitalization, innovation and technological advancement,” the Foreign Minister noted.

Mirzoyan noted that all these changes make it clear that strong, like-minded, and value-based partnerships are more essential than ever.

“Our region, the South Caucasus, historically a cultural highway and major trade pathway, stands at an important crossroads today. It has been facing tremendous upheavals, including those that have deeply affected human lives and the region’s overall economic development, its present and future. We are at a historic juncture with a real opportunity to make a right choice, to take a right path towards a more peaceful, secure and prosperous future,” the Foreign Minister mentioned.

According to him, dialogue and open conversations are both prerequisites and a unique way to fill in the vacuum.

“Yerevan Dialogue, convening for the first time, in the capital of Armenia, will provide a vital platform to ask critical questions, voice diverging opinions and converging insights while seeking sustainable solutions. With this in mind, we have invited both leaders and experts from diplomacy, politics, business, academia and culture from more than 80 countries and organizations. We look forward to all contributions aiming to address the pressing issues of our time, Shaping Tomorrow Today,” FM Mirzoyan concluded.