YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The June 20 meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents in St. Petersburg was the reasonable continuation of the May 16 Vienna summit, where other important agreements were made. After the meeting of the Presidents, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian expressed this opinion.

ARMENPRESS presents Nalbandian’s full speech.

“We are grateful to the President of the Russian Federation for organizing this meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg. This was the reasonable continuation of the May 16 Vienna summit, where other important agreements were made – aimed at creating appropriate conditions for the resumption of the negotiation process.

As you know, an announcement was made in Vienna on the Ministerial level of the Co-chairing countries, which reflected those agreements and commitments, which the sides had assumed: Firstly, the conflict settlement by an exclusively peaceful path, respect for the 1994-1995 trilateral term-less ceasefire agreement. Those agreements, the importance of which was especially stressed by the ministers of the co-chairing countries. Agreements were also reached on the creation of incident investigation mechanisms along the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as well as broadening the capabilities of the team of the OSCE Personal representative of the chairperson in office.

As you know, afterwards the separate meetings of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijani took place in Brussels and Paris with the Co-chairs, where relevant detailed proposals were made in regard to these two suggestions: the creation of investigative mechanisms and expanding the team of the OSCE personal representative of the chairperson in office.

The Armenian side is working with the Co-chairing countries on these two proposals. Unfortunately, we can say that Azerbaijan is not displaying a constructive approach on this issue until now.

As a matter of fact, until now they were preventing the OSCE Financial and Budget Committee for financing the expansion of the team of the OSCE Personal representative of the chairperson in office. 

Today, during the St. Petersburg meeting, on the Presidents’ level, it was once again stressed that this team must be expanded. This was mentioned in the announcement which was made by the Presidents as a result of the meeting. It also concerns the creation of the mechanism, which was decided in Vienna, and it wasn’t the first time. The sides had agreed on the creation of such mechanism at least two times on the Presidents’ level, in 2011 in Sochi and in 2012.

The same thing had happened again: Every time Azerbaijan tries to step back. Of course, during the period of Vienna and St. Petersburg, the Azerbaijani side with different announcements, I can’t say constructive, you all know what announcements are made in Baku, as well as the fact that yesterday and today, during the summit days, Azerbaijan is conducting large-scale military exercises, with 25000 soldiers, heavy military hardware and weaponry.

I don’t think this is a constructive approach before and during the summit. In spite of this, I can say that today’s meeting was quite useful, and with some caution I can also say that it proceeded in a constructive atmosphere. On some issues the Presidents came to the understanding that if agreements are made on them, then there will be the opportunity to move the negotiation process forward to the settlement of the conflict. This is also mentioned in the announcement made by the Presidents on the results of the St. Petersburg summit.

An agreement was reached to continue meetings on the level of Presidents and Ministers, and the process will be continued in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing format. It was no coincidence that the Ambassadors of the co-chairing countries were invited to be present during the final stage of the Presidents’ meeting. The President of Armenia also had a separate meeting with the co-chairs and presented our impressions on the results of this summit”.