YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has already developed and presented its approaches regarding the new situation in the region to the OSCE Ministerial Council, which suppose also determination of the status of Artsakh based on the exercise of the right to self-determination, ensuring the comprehensive security of the Artsakh people, the de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian said at the session of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs while presenting the report on the results of the government’s 2020 action plan.

Talking about the year of 2020, he considered it as the heaviest because of the impact of COVID-19 and the war.

The minister assured that the Foreign Ministry has carried out major works among the international community to ensure their position over the military operations, regarding the involvement of armed terrorists by Turkey, as well as to increase the pressure on the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance and stop the hostilities.

“Currently, our region is in a period of new challenges which makes an imperative to further strengthen the cooperation with the partners who are interested in regional stability, security and peace. At the same time, all those developments have showed that we need a strong chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group which will be able to lead the peace process based on the principles and elements developed within those years”, the minister said.

Mr. Aivazian reminded that after the war the Foreign Ministry has started developing Armenia’s approaches in this new situation which were presented for the first time during the session of the OSCE Ministerial Council in early December. “These approaches suppose determining the status of Artsakh based on the exercise of the right to self-determination, ensuring the comprehensive security of the people of Artsakh, de-occupying the territories of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, safe return of the recently displaced population to their settlements, preservation of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories which have come under the control of Azerbaijan”, the FM said.

Among Armenia’s priorities is also the addressing of the humanitarian situation in Artsakh with the direct engagement of the UN and its structures. The minister strongly condemned Azerbaijan’s obstruction of the humanitarian aid provided to Artsakh. He said the ministry is making efforts with the international partners for mitigating the humanitarian problems. “The immediate and safe repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war who are held captive by Azerbaijan is among the humanitarian problems which require urgent solution. The foreign ministry keeps in its spotlight the preservation of the Armenian historical-cultural and religious heritage in the territories which have come under the Azerbaijani control”, FM Ara Aivazian said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan