Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan believes that they have "taken the necessary steps" regarding the Azerbaijani presidential aide’s statements about the Gandzasar monastery.

When asked why the Armenian foreign ministry did not issue a statement in that regard, Mirzoyan replied: "There are more specialized bodies on that matter, we listened and are very satisfied with the position and conduct of the Matenadaran [i.e. the Armenian institute and museum of ancient manuscripts]. We involved the Matenadaran, if you noticed, a visit took place. So, you have the right to consider [it] sufficient, proper, adequate."

Armenian FM added, however, that the conduct of the Azerbaijani side does not contribute to the strengthening of peace.

“The NA [i.e. the Armenian National Assembly] president said very aptly: yes, of course, it is obvious that this does not strengthen the established peace; on the contrary, it nourishes some things that, perhaps, sound not so optimistic opinions about the future fate of peace, they are fanning the flames,” Mirzoyan noted.

During the recent visit of foreign diplomats in Azerbaijan to Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev had claimed that the Gandzasar and Dadivank were not Armenian, but “Caucasian Albanian” churches. Moreover, the high-ranking Azerbaijani official had made mocking comments about Armenian books.