YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Deputy foreign minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan says newly-appointed foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan is a professional diplomat and has passed a serious path, reports Armenpress. “He has served also as deputy foreign minister, and in general, the ministry is satisfied with his appointment”, the deputy FM told reporters, Armenpress reports.

Asked whether he will continue the work in the position of the deputy FM, Shavarsh Kocharyan said: “We are working, what is the talk about? The ministry has worked during the movement and it also works now. The foreign ministry is one of the structures which should work like a clock regardless of events”.

Deputy FM Kocharyan refused to comment on the statement of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan according to which Armenia is a party to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which also gave rise to a debate between the first and second Presidents of Armenia and the former defense minister Vigen Sargsyan. Deputy FM Kocharyan said the foreign ministry doesn’t comment on the statements of the leadership, it comments on the statements of the representatives of other countries.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan