YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s voting in the UN General Assembly over the status of Jerusalem is not directed against the US or any other country, Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, told a press conference in Armenpress.

“This voting was directed to maintaining the negotiation process over Jerusalem, the hope to settle the issue through negotiations, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the region and protecting the interests of the Armenian community of Jerusalem and Patriarchate. We didn’t vote against anyone, we voted for reducing the tension and continuing the negotiation process”, Sharmazanov said.

Sharmazanov doesn’t agree with the opinions of some analysts according to which Armenia’s such voting can lead to deterioration of the Armenian-US relations. “We are trying very actively and consistently to develop the dialogue with our American partners, and during the past years we managed to record serious achievements in the bilateral relations. I think the Armenian-American relations at the moment are on rise, and we should do everything for them to continue developing”, Sharmazanov said.

He clarified that Armenia in the UN voted in a way required by today’s negotiation process, the UN format and resolutions on Palestine and Israel, the interest of Armenia and Armenians. “And the interest of the Republic of Armenia is to avoid steps which will cause further tension in Jerusalem which will not be in the interests of the Armenian community of Jerusalem and will be against the logic of the negotiations the UN has adopted over the status of Jerusalem. As we expect that no country should adopt resolutions over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement which will be against the principles proposed by the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, there are also negotiation principles over Jerusalem, thus it will be abnormal that Armenia demands keeping the negotiation principles over Karabakh, and on the other issue it acts against that negotiation format and principles”, the Vice Speaker said.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 21 with 128 votes in favor, 35 abstained and 9 against, calling on the US to refrain from its decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Armenia voted in favor of the resolution.