Armenia wants to see the OSCE as a strong and effective organization. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this at a joint press conference with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, on Tuesday in Yerevan.

The FM noted that the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s visit to Armenia is taking place in new circumstances and in the context of significant regional developments, primarily referring to the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan following the Washington summit on August 8.

Mirzoyan said he briefed his colleague on the initialing of the peace document and the unblocking of regional communications. He recalled the OSCE’s role in establishing peace, and emphasized that new forms and horizons of cooperation are now needed. Armenia is particularly interested in economic cooperation and environmental issues. Also, it is confident that the OSCE, under its current and future Chairpersons-in-Office, will contribute to peace not only in the South Caucasus, but across the entire OSCE area. According to Mirzoyan, Armenia wants to see the OSCE as a strong and effective organization, which in the current geopolitical context requires the support of its member states, in the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act.

The parties discussed also Armenia’s relations with Finland, and noted with satisfaction a new phase of cooperation. The FM listed recent high-level meetings, and confirmed his invitation for Valtonen to visit Armenia as Finland’s foreign minister.

In addition, Ararat Mirzoyan and Elina Valtonen addressed relations with the EU, Armenia’s European integration, and the European Political Community summit scheduled to be held in Yerevan next May.