ArmInfo.When deciding on the participation of Armenia in events dedicated to the beginning of World War II, the significance of this event for the Armenian side was taken into account. Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan stated this at a press conference in Yerevan on September 6.
He recalled that Armenia had great losses in this war, just as many heroes returned from this war. "All these factors were taken into account in deciding on participation," Mnatsakanyan said.
At the same time, the Armenian Foreign Minister assured that relations with Warsaw are highly valued in Yerevan, both in a bilateral and multilateral formats, including within the framework of the EU and the Eastern Partnership. He also noted the existence of a broad interaction agenda between two countries. The Armenian Foreign Minister informed that today there is a question about adjusting the schedule of mutual visits, which he believes will be successfully done, and relations will continue to develop further in a partnership and friendly spirit.
It should be noted that a few days before the solemn events in Warsaw, attached to the start of World War II, it became known that the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will not take part in the event. "The Prime Minister did not receive an invitation to participate in events dedicated to the outbreak of World War II in Poland," said Spokesman for the head of government Vladimir Karapetyan to ArmInfo. Meanwhile, the Polish side claimed the opposite. Later it became known that the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received an invitation, but his participation in the event is not planned. This caused a diplomatic scandal.
To note, as early as on March 19 this year according to UNIAN, the press secretary of the President of Poland Blazej Spychalski said that only members of the European Union, NATO and the Eastern Partnership states - Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia should be invited to the solemn events to be held in Warsaw on September 1. Without Russia, he specified. In July 2019, the press service of Polish President Andrzej Duda issued a statement stating that Poland intends to meet the dramatic events occurred 80 years ago with countries with which it closely cooperates "in the interest of world peace.''
It was reported that President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko refused to participate in the festivities, because the Polish authorities did not invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to events in Warsaw.