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THE ADDRESS AND ANSWERS OF MINISTER NALBANDIAN DURING THE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH CYPRIOT FOREIGN MINISTER ERATO KOZAKOU-MARCOULLIS
http://www.mfa.am/en/press-conference/item/2012/04/03/cyprus_fm_press/
03.04.2012
Hello,
I am pleased to welcome the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, who
comes from a country with whom we are tied to age-old friendship and
brotherly relations, which passed the test of time, from a country,
the parliament of which was one of the first ones to recognize and
condemn the Armenian Genocide in 1982, demanding a restoration of
historical justice.
Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations cooperation
between Armenia and Cyprus has been uplifted, which was marked by the
reciprocal state visits of the leaders of the two countries, as well.
Today, we had a thorough talk with Madam Kozakou-Marcoullis on the
ways of further expanding of bilateral relations and the issues of
regional and international agenda.
Talking about our relations, we outlined the significant heritage and
contribution of the Armenian community in Cyprus to the strengthening
of the inter-state cooperation.
Our friend Cyprus will assume the EU presidency on July 1 and in
that context we thoroughly touched upon the Armenia-EU cooperation
and the projects being implemented in that format.
Of course, we could not avoid from the Cypriot issue. Armenia has
never accepted and will not accept the attempts to divide brotherly
Cyprus. The Cypriot issue should find its fair and legal solution
and in this respect we stand by Cyprus.
We touched upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, as well.
I presented my Cypriot counterpart the current negotiations, and the
steps being undertaken by the international community and mediators
towards that direction.
We exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues,
as well.
Once again I would like to welcome the visit of Cypriot Foreign
Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis to Armenia on the eve of the 20th
anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations and to
give the floor to my Cypriot counterpart.
Please.
Question: Minister Nalbandian, after the decision of the Constitutional
Council of France on the bill criminalizing the denial of genocides,
Turkey and Azerbaijan voiced that it was a victory of freedom of
speech. How would you comment it?
Minister Nalbandian: Both Turkey and Azerbaijan are in the last
places in the press freedom index -162 and 148, and it is one of the
main criteria for the freedom of speech. I do not think that these
countries may have the right to give lessons, or tell other countries
what freedom of speech means.
Question: Minister Nalbandian, recently there was an information
that by the mediation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Davutoglu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a meeting
between the Armenian President Sargsyan and Azeri President Aliyev
would be initiated. To what extent is this format acceptable for the
Armenian side?
Minister Nalbandian: Regarding to the United States, as a Minsk
Group co-chairing country, the United States undertakes importantly
constructive mediating efforts towards the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. As of the existing or potential Turkish
mediation, I can only say that it is nonsense.
Question: I would like to address my question to the two Ministers.
Two brief questions. Did you discuss the possibility to act together
in international arenas and if yes, over what questions?
Minister Nalbandian: We have very good cooperation in international
arenas and of course, we took this opportunity to reaffirm once
again the willingness to renew more closely cooperation between the
two countries in the near future in the frames of the UN, the OSCE,
the Council of Europe, as well as other international organizations.
From: A. Papazian
http://www.mfa.am/en/press-conference/item/2012/04/03/cyprus_fm_press/
03.04.2012
Hello,
I am pleased to welcome the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, who
comes from a country with whom we are tied to age-old friendship and
brotherly relations, which passed the test of time, from a country,
the parliament of which was one of the first ones to recognize and
condemn the Armenian Genocide in 1982, demanding a restoration of
historical justice.
Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations cooperation
between Armenia and Cyprus has been uplifted, which was marked by the
reciprocal state visits of the leaders of the two countries, as well.
Today, we had a thorough talk with Madam Kozakou-Marcoullis on the
ways of further expanding of bilateral relations and the issues of
regional and international agenda.
Talking about our relations, we outlined the significant heritage and
contribution of the Armenian community in Cyprus to the strengthening
of the inter-state cooperation.
Our friend Cyprus will assume the EU presidency on July 1 and in
that context we thoroughly touched upon the Armenia-EU cooperation
and the projects being implemented in that format.
Of course, we could not avoid from the Cypriot issue. Armenia has
never accepted and will not accept the attempts to divide brotherly
Cyprus. The Cypriot issue should find its fair and legal solution
and in this respect we stand by Cyprus.
We touched upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, as well.
I presented my Cypriot counterpart the current negotiations, and the
steps being undertaken by the international community and mediators
towards that direction.
We exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues,
as well.
Once again I would like to welcome the visit of Cypriot Foreign
Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis to Armenia on the eve of the 20th
anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations and to
give the floor to my Cypriot counterpart.
Please.
Question: Minister Nalbandian, after the decision of the Constitutional
Council of France on the bill criminalizing the denial of genocides,
Turkey and Azerbaijan voiced that it was a victory of freedom of
speech. How would you comment it?
Minister Nalbandian: Both Turkey and Azerbaijan are in the last
places in the press freedom index -162 and 148, and it is one of the
main criteria for the freedom of speech. I do not think that these
countries may have the right to give lessons, or tell other countries
what freedom of speech means.
Question: Minister Nalbandian, recently there was an information
that by the mediation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
Davutoglu and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a meeting
between the Armenian President Sargsyan and Azeri President Aliyev
would be initiated. To what extent is this format acceptable for the
Armenian side?
Minister Nalbandian: Regarding to the United States, as a Minsk
Group co-chairing country, the United States undertakes importantly
constructive mediating efforts towards the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. As of the existing or potential Turkish
mediation, I can only say that it is nonsense.
Question: I would like to address my question to the two Ministers.
Two brief questions. Did you discuss the possibility to act together
in international arenas and if yes, over what questions?
Minister Nalbandian: We have very good cooperation in international
arenas and of course, we took this opportunity to reaffirm once
again the willingness to renew more closely cooperation between the
two countries in the near future in the frames of the UN, the OSCE,
the Council of Europe, as well as other international organizations.
From: A. Papazian