YEREVAN. – Armenia is ready to further deepen and strengthen relations with the Holy See. Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian stated this in a telephone conversation Wednesday with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States.

The parties exchanged views on the steps to be taken to strengthen the close dialogue and high-level contacts between Armenia and the Holy See, the Armenian Foreign Ministry informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The interlocutors touched also upon regional security and stability issues. In this connection, the Armenian FM highlighted the calls of Pope Francis for the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of peace in the post-war period.

Also, the Armenian FM briefed the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States on the steps being taken to address the humanitarian issues arising from the recent Turkish-Azerbaijani military aggression. As a respective issue demanding an immediate solution, the minister stressed the need for the safe repatriation of the Armenian captives who are held hostage by the Azerbaijani side.

Emphasizing the urgency of preserving the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) territories that are now under the control of Azerbaijan, FM Aivazian strongly condemned the Azerbaijani authorities’ policy of deliberate desecration and destruction of Christian cultural values. In this regard, the active intervention of the international community was highlighted.