We have new situation in the region created after use of force by Azerbaijan, with direct involvement of Turkey - Armenia's FM

On February 16, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian had a meeting with Wendy Morton, the UK Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Aivazian noted that this visit is a good opportunity to touch upon the bilateral agenda and outline joint steps aimed at enriching it. “We highly value the cooperation between Armenia and Great Britain, and we hope that through joint efforts we can give a new impetus to the Armenian-UK bilateral agenda.”

The interlocutors exchanged views on the prospects of expanding the cooperation within the spheres of mutual interest, highlighting the following areas as the prior directions: information technologies, creative education, reproductive energy, tourism.

In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the issues of regional security and stability. With this regard, Minister Aivazian noted: “We have a new situation which was created after the use of force by Azerbaijan, and with direct involvement of Turkey. As you rightly mentioned in your remarks at the House of Commons on December 8, it does not solve the conflict and we believe that only through negotiated political settlement it will be possible to address the causes and consequences of the war, having in mind the respect towards the rights of all.  And eventually through this way it will be possible to establish stability, peace and reconciliation in the region of the South Caucasus.

Of course, the essence of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is based on the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. Armenia will continue to defend this right. And we are looking very much forward to the recognition by the  international community of this right to self-determination, because otherwise this conflict will continue to be the source of instability in the region.”

In the context of addressing the humanitarian issues resulting from the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh, the Foreign Minister of Armenia drew the interlocutor's attention to Azerbaijan's hostage-taking policy of Armenian prisoners of war, civilians, including women, noting that “this is a challenge to all those who genuinely and consistently defend human right in international arena”