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SERZH SARGSYAN: TURKEY'S ILLEGAL BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA SHOULD REMAIN IN FOCUS OF ALL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
16:38 04/06/2014 >> TOPIC OF THE DAY
After the official welcome ceremony for OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,
President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter, as well as after
his narrow-format negotiations with President Serzh Sargsyan and
extended-format negotiations with the participation of the official
delegations, Serzh Sargsyan and Didier Burkhalter held a meeting with
the representatives of mass media to sum up the negotiation results.
Statement by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at a meeting
with mass media representatives after negotiations with OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, President of Swiss Confederation and Head of
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter
Distinguished Mr. President, Honorable ladies and gentlemen,
I am glad to welcome the President of the Swiss Confederation, the
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter and the delegation led
by him in Yerevan.
We discussed a broad range of issues on the Armenian-Swiss cooperation
agenda, as well as touched upon the current regional and international
security challenges and collaboration issues in the context of the
Swiss OSCE Chairmanship.
We stated with satisfaction that since the establishment of diplomatic
relations our countries have managed to create a meaningful and
inclusive cooperation agenda; reciprocal visits of presidents,
opening of embassies, promotion of constructive dialogue between our
foreign affairs ministries and parliaments. Switzerland has carried
out assistance programs being of great importance for Armenia.
We praised the recent years' constant growth rates in bilateral trade
thanks to which Switzerland is our 4th European trade partner. We
showed our interest in enlarging the Swiss business community in
Armenia which includes around 40 Swiss companies and welcomed the
Armenian-Swiss business forum held in Zurich this May and the upcoming
visit of Swiss businessmen to the Republic of Armenia.
We highlighted the International Organization of La Francophonie as a
relatively new important platform for the Armenian-Swiss cooperation
considering also that there was a time when Mr. President had close
ties with that organization.
We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to further advancing cooperation in
the OSCE format. I once again told Mr. Burkhalter that Armenia is going
to support Switzerland in all phases of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. We
attach importance to Switzerland's famous image of an impartial and
honest mediator in international relations. We strongly believe that
the Swiss Chairmanship will do its best to promote the OSCE agenda
by means of stimulating straightforward and effective dialogue,
conforming to the OSCE principles and supporting effective political
dialogue between the member states.
We dwelt on the subject of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I reaffirmed
Armenia's commitment to finding a solution to this complex issue as
soon as possible. We agree that the conflict can't be resolved by
means of war; on the contrary, it will become more complicated. The
threats of use of force and the regular violations of the ceasefire
greatly hinder the negotiation process. We clearly mention that the
primary confidence building measure is, inter alia, the demonstration
of proper respect towards the Nagorno-Karabakh people. Finally, this
is a national liberation struggle for exercising the fundamental right
to self-determination and any solution which neglects this reality
is doomed to failure. We strongly believe that in order for it to
be effective every negotiation effort and process should take into
account the position and opinion of the Nagorno-Karabakh people. We
stated that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the most optimal
format to resolve that conflict.
We praised Armenia's effective collaboration with all OSCE structures,
and I asked the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to tell all our partners
in that authoritative organization that Armenia is really interested
in further advancing collaboration in the areas of democratic reforms,
protection of human rights and freedom of speech.
On behalf of our people, I expressed my gratitude to Mr. President for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Swiss Parliament,
Switzerland's devotion to universal values, as well as for its
unbending commitment to promoting those values.
We stated that because of Turkey's lack of commitment the
Armenian-Turkish protocols mediated by the Swiss Confederation have
been frozen up to the present day. In any case, we appreciate the
role Switzerland played in that complicated process. I am sure that
Turkey's illegal blockade of Armenia should always remain in the
focus of all international organizations, including the OSCE.
Now I am pleased to give the floor to President Burkhalter.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2014/06/04/serj-sargsyan-osce/
16:38 04/06/2014 >> TOPIC OF THE DAY
After the official welcome ceremony for OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,
President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter, as well as after
his narrow-format negotiations with President Serzh Sargsyan and
extended-format negotiations with the participation of the official
delegations, Serzh Sargsyan and Didier Burkhalter held a meeting with
the representatives of mass media to sum up the negotiation results.
Statement by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at a meeting
with mass media representatives after negotiations with OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, President of Swiss Confederation and Head of
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter
Distinguished Mr. President, Honorable ladies and gentlemen,
I am glad to welcome the President of the Swiss Confederation, the
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter and the delegation led
by him in Yerevan.
We discussed a broad range of issues on the Armenian-Swiss cooperation
agenda, as well as touched upon the current regional and international
security challenges and collaboration issues in the context of the
Swiss OSCE Chairmanship.
We stated with satisfaction that since the establishment of diplomatic
relations our countries have managed to create a meaningful and
inclusive cooperation agenda; reciprocal visits of presidents,
opening of embassies, promotion of constructive dialogue between our
foreign affairs ministries and parliaments. Switzerland has carried
out assistance programs being of great importance for Armenia.
We praised the recent years' constant growth rates in bilateral trade
thanks to which Switzerland is our 4th European trade partner. We
showed our interest in enlarging the Swiss business community in
Armenia which includes around 40 Swiss companies and welcomed the
Armenian-Swiss business forum held in Zurich this May and the upcoming
visit of Swiss businessmen to the Republic of Armenia.
We highlighted the International Organization of La Francophonie as a
relatively new important platform for the Armenian-Swiss cooperation
considering also that there was a time when Mr. President had close
ties with that organization.
We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to further advancing cooperation in
the OSCE format. I once again told Mr. Burkhalter that Armenia is going
to support Switzerland in all phases of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. We
attach importance to Switzerland's famous image of an impartial and
honest mediator in international relations. We strongly believe that
the Swiss Chairmanship will do its best to promote the OSCE agenda
by means of stimulating straightforward and effective dialogue,
conforming to the OSCE principles and supporting effective political
dialogue between the member states.
We dwelt on the subject of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I reaffirmed
Armenia's commitment to finding a solution to this complex issue as
soon as possible. We agree that the conflict can't be resolved by
means of war; on the contrary, it will become more complicated. The
threats of use of force and the regular violations of the ceasefire
greatly hinder the negotiation process. We clearly mention that the
primary confidence building measure is, inter alia, the demonstration
of proper respect towards the Nagorno-Karabakh people. Finally, this
is a national liberation struggle for exercising the fundamental right
to self-determination and any solution which neglects this reality
is doomed to failure. We strongly believe that in order for it to
be effective every negotiation effort and process should take into
account the position and opinion of the Nagorno-Karabakh people. We
stated that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the most optimal
format to resolve that conflict.
We praised Armenia's effective collaboration with all OSCE structures,
and I asked the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to tell all our partners
in that authoritative organization that Armenia is really interested
in further advancing collaboration in the areas of democratic reforms,
protection of human rights and freedom of speech.
On behalf of our people, I expressed my gratitude to Mr. President for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Swiss Parliament,
Switzerland's devotion to universal values, as well as for its
unbending commitment to promoting those values.
We stated that because of Turkey's lack of commitment the
Armenian-Turkish protocols mediated by the Swiss Confederation have
been frozen up to the present day. In any case, we appreciate the
role Switzerland played in that complicated process. I am sure that
Turkey's illegal blockade of Armenia should always remain in the
focus of all international organizations, including the OSCE.
Now I am pleased to give the floor to President Burkhalter.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2014/06/04/serj-sargsyan-osce/