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On June 17, in Vienna, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan participated and delivered remarks at the OSCE Annual Security Review Conference.
Remarks by the Deputy Foreign Minister, as published by the Foreign Ministry, follow below:
“Distinguished chair, excellencies, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. At the outset, I would like to thank the Swiss Chairpersonship for convening this special session of the Annual Security Review Conference. Once again, we meet at a time when ongoing conflicts, erosion of trust, and continued violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law challenge stability across the OSCE area. In this environment, the principles and commitments underpinning the European security order remain as relevant as ever. The OSCE continues to provide a unique platform for dialogue and confidence-building among participating States. At the same time, the effectiveness of the Organization is closely linked to the implementation in good faith of OSCE commitments. The gap between commitments and their implementation, rather than the principles themselves, lies at the heart of many of the challenges facing the OSCE today. This underscores the need to strengthen compliance with existing commitments and ensure that the Organization’s tools and mechanisms remain effective and responsive to evolving security challenges.
Dear colleagues, arms control, confidence-building measures and verification mechanisms remain important components of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security. Credible arms control and verification measures can contribute to transparency, predictability and risk reduction, thereby strengthening regional stability and security. However, in practice and judging from experience, the effectiveness and credibility of arms control mechanisms ultimately depend on their ability to address security realities as they evolve and to provide meaningful safeguards against escalation. Indeed, developments in recent years have exposed limitations in the ability of these mechanisms to adequately respond to changing security realities. This challenge is further highlighted by rapid technological developments and evolving methods of warfare, which continue to reshape the security environment. Ensuring that existing instruments remain relevant, effective and responsive to contemporary security challenges should therefore remain an important priority for participating States. Excellencies, since my last address at the 2025 ASRC, our region has experienced significant developments. On August 8, 2025, in Washington, DC, the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States of America, the latter as a witness, signed a Joint Declaration, opening a new chapter of peace, prosperity and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus. The Washington summit has also created a significant opportunity for the unblocking of regional communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan and for advancing a broader regional connectivity agenda. In this regard, connectivity constitutes an important pillar of the new regional reality. In line with these understandings, Armenia has worked with the United States to establish the framework for a connectivity project called “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP). The signing of the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation concerning TRIPP in early June by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the United States Secretary of State marked an important step towards the implementation of these understandings. Grounded in the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and national jurisdiction, the TRIPP project aims to enhance international, inter-state and intra-state transportation connectivity, facilitate regional and global trade, and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Armenia also attaches importance to the continued normalization process with Türkiye, as an important pillar of broader regional stability and connectivity, within the ongoing efforts aimed at fostering a more predictable and cooperative environment in the South Caucasus and beyond. We appreciate the level of political dialogue with Türkiye, while tangible progress, including the opening of borders and the establishment of diplomatic relations, remains essential for durable and irreversible peace in the region.
Mr. Chairperson, in an increasingly interconnected and complex security environment, no State can effectively address today’s challenges alone. From regional conflicts and forced displacement to emerging hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation and interference, many of the issues confronting the OSCE area require collective responses grounded in dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect. Against this backdrop, the evolving security environment underscores the need for the OSCE to continuously adapt its tools and approaches in order to respond effectively to contemporary risks and emerging security challenges. Armenia stands ready to contribute constructively to efforts aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the Organization, while ensuring that its core functions, such as the early warning and conflict prevention capacities, are effectively revitalized and reinforced. Sustainable security in the OSCE area can only be achieved through genuine cooperation, mutual respect, and adherence to our shared commitments. Armenia remains convinced that only through a renewed commitment to these principles can we strengthen trust, restore predictability and advance lasting peace across the OSCE area of responsibility.
Thank you.”