Tuesday, May 26 2020 21:48

ArmInfo.Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan attended a meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers in a video conference format.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers  discussed a wide range of issues related to strengthening cooperation  within the CSTO, international and regional events and joint response  to modern security challenges and threats. Among other decisions,  Mnatsakanyan noted the importance of adopting a statement by the  Foreign Ministers of the CSTO member states on supporting the UN  Secretary General's appeal for a global ceasefire in connection with  the COVID-19 pandemic: <Our states were among the first countries to  express their full solidarity and support for the appeal of the UN  Secretary General Antonio Guterres to establish a universal ceasefire  in various parts of the world.

In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that  despite the general understanding of the world community about the  need to establish a general ceasefire and concentrate efforts on  overcoming the pandemic and its consequences, there is no rejection  of maximalist approaches and warlike rhetoric from our eastern  neighbor. The ceasefire on the contact line is being violated,  provocations on the border continue, which pose a threat to the  security of the civilian population,> Mnatsakanyan noted.

In this context, the Foreign Minister of Armenia informed the CSTO  about the conduct of unannounced large-scale military exercises of an  offensive nature by Azerbaijan from May 18 to 22, in violation of  international obligations, including the Vienna Document. According  to him, such actions, which destroy regional stability and seriously  damage the peace process, should be properly condemned.

Mnatsakanyan also reiterated the commitment of the authorities of  Armenia and Artsakh to a exclusively peaceful settlement of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and under the auspices of the co-chairs of  the OSCE Minsk Group. According to him, the Armenian side  categorically rejects the use of force or the threat of force, and  continues to engage constructively in the peace process, whose  potential cannot be fully realized without the participation of the  people of Artsakh and mutual concessions from all.  The Armenian  Foreign Minister also spoke about the situation in the Middle East,  pointing out the need to protect religious and national minorities.