Thursday, November 4 2021 10:52

ArmInfo.Armenian Foreign  Minister Ararat Mirzoyan spoke about interaction with Russia, Iran,  Turkey, EU and the nature of relations with France.  Thus, the head  of the Armenian Foreign Ministry in an interview with Nouvelles  d'Armenie stated that the foreign policy priorities of the Republic  of Armenia are fixed in the government's program.

"With the Russian Federation, as I have already noted, we have allied  relations, and an important component of our multilayered cooperation  is the military-political, economic, energy, infrastructure,  humanitarian and cultural sectors and security," the Minister said.

At the same time, he continued, Armenia attaches importance to the  development of mutually beneficial cooperation based on common  democratic values with the EU member states and the European Union in  various formats.

In this regard, Mirzoyan especially emphasize the role of the  Armenia-EU Comprehensive  and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.  "This  comprehensive document creates a solid legal basis for the Armenia-EU  partnership, as well as for cooperation with the EU member states.

Effective implementation of the agreement will strengthen cooperation  in a wide variety of areas, such as justice, security, economy,  agriculture and infrastructure, environment and climate, education  and science, culture, health, etc.

The Eastern Partnership is also a very important and solid platform  for cooperation, and we continue our active involvement and work  towards strengthening the inclusiveness of the format and deepening  cooperation, "the Foreign Minister said.

Referring to relations with Turkey, Mirzoyan recalled that the  program of the Armenian government enshrines Armenia's readiness to  normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions.

At the same time, he stated that the absence of diplomatic relations  between Armenia and Turkey, closed borders, as well as the obvious  involvement of Turkey in the 44-day war, the statements made by  Turkey these days about the so-called "Zangezur Corridor" have a  negative impact on stability in the region.

"Nevertheless, in his public speeches, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan  voiced the point of view of the Armenian side that if Turkey is ready  to normalize relations with its appropriate actions, Armenia is ready  to discuss the possibilities of building bilateral relations. At the  same time, I want to note that at the moment there are no  negotiations with Turkey, "the Minister said.

Speaking about relations with Iran, the head of the Armenian Foreign  Ministry recalled that there are historical friendly relations based  on mutual trust between the two countries. "There is a mutual  readiness to further develop and deepen the Armenian-Iranian  relations based on friendship and mutual respect, mutually beneficial  cooperation in trade, economic, political and other sectors,"  Mirzoyan said.

At the same time, he added that Armenia is full of hopes that  negotiations on the nuclear program will resume, will have a  successful course, and will create an opportunity to lift the  existing sanctions against Tehran, which can become an important  incentive for the development of Armenian-Iranian economic  cooperation.

When asked to tell about the relations between Yerevan and Paris, the  minister recalled that privileged relations had developed between  France and Armenia, based on historical and cultural ties and  friendship.

"There is a high-level political dialogue with France, which is also  conducted at the level of legislative and local authorities.  Multidisciplinary cooperation between our countries includes such  areas as the economy, education, science, culture, health care,  as  well as humanitarian aid in the context of the post-war epidemic.

France is one of the leaders in terms of investments in the Armenian  economy. One of the important achievements of the Armenian-French  cooperation is the French University in Armenia, which for 20 years  of its activity has acquired the reputation of a smithy that trains  highly qualified specialists for the Armenian market, "the Foreign  Minister stressed.

He reminded that France is the first country to recognize (Armenian  Genocide, Ed. note) by force of law and it is one of the exceptional  countries that has mentioned April 24 as National Remembrance Day.  

He also noted that during the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan  against Artsakh with the support of Turkey, France has always stood  by Armenia both in targeted statements and in steps to overcome the  consequences of the war and exceptional national solidarity. In this  vein, he recalled the decisions of the French Senate, the National  Assembly and hundreds of constituencies on the recognition of the  independence of Artsakh and the provision of humanitarian aid to the  Armenians of Artsakh.

"France, as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, together with  Russia and the United States, will play a key role in the peaceful  settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and, in particular, in  the final clarification of the status of Artsakh. Armenia also highly  appreciates the great attention that French President Macron pays to  the issues of Armenian prisoners of war, the return of civilians and  the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh,  which came under the control of Azerbaijan.

The high level of our political dialogue with France obliges us to  deepen the agenda of cooperation, so I can say that the prospects in  this matter are clear, since there is complete reciprocity of our  expectations and readiness at the highest interstate level, "he  summed up.