The cornerstone of Artsakh’s foreign policy is the expansion of its international recognition, said Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian at a press conference summing up the results of 2019. 

The Foreign Minister noted that the cornerstone of Artsakh's foreign policy is expanding the scope of Artsakh's international recognition and international cooperation, strengthening interaction and friendship between Artsakh and other states, and expanding the Republic's involvement in the peace process, emphasizing that the main efforts of the Foreign Ministry have been focused on ensuring success in these processes.

Referring to the realization of the goals, Masis Mayilian noted that the year was quite effective. Not only have efforts continued to strengthen Artsakh's international relations, but steps have been taken to expand the geography of Artsakh's international cooperation. Thus, the working visits of the Artsakh delegation to Uruguay, Argentina, Australia, the United States, Russia, France and Egypt were held, within the framework of which the NKR Foreign Minister met with representatives of the political, public and scientific circles of the respective states. As a result of these meetings arrangements on cooperation were reached. Within the framework of the visits traditional meetings with Armenian Diaspora organizations took place.

The Foreign Minister of Artsakh stressed the importance of continuing the efforts on expanding the frameworks of the decentralized cooperation between the administrative units of Artsakh and different countries. In this regard, Masis Mayilian noted, in particular, the adoption of the resolution on establishing friendly relations between Stepanakert and the Australian city of Ryde in the run-up to the working visit of the Artsakh delegation to Australia. A Circle of Friendship with Artsakh was established in Australia, involving MPs and Senators of the Federal Parliament, Ministers, as well as the Prime Minister of the State of New South Wales, the Speakers of the Upper and Lower Houses of the State Parliament, scientists, clergy and culture representatives. The Declaration of Friendship signed between Hadrut region of Artsakh and Isere Department of France in September 2019, as well as the joint Declaration signed by Artsakh’s Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian and President of the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes of the French Republic Laurent Wauquiez in October 2019 also testify to the continued strengthening of the friendly relations.

The Foreign Minister of Artsakh stressed the importance of the key political event of the year held in Stepanakert - the Friends of Artsakh Forum “Cooperation for the Sake of Justice and Peace” - organized jointly by the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. Representatives of parliamentary Friendship Groups and Circles, twin cities, as well as the administrative-territorial units, which had recognized the independence of Artsakh or cooperate with Artsakh, in general, over 150 representatives from about 30 states, participated in the Forum. Following the Forum, the participants adopted a Declaration, in which they called on the international community to take all necessary steps to remove the obstacles to the full-fledged participation of Artsakh in the international cooperation aimed at promoting democracy, as well as strengthening peace and stability in the region. Within the frameworks of the Forum, a decision was also made to create an international network of friends of Artsakh - “ProArtsakh” - with the aim of raising awareness of Artsakh in the international arena, protecting the legitimate interests of its people and promoting the involvement of Artsakh in international processes.

Masis Mayilian informed that the activity of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh in international structures was reaching a new level; in particular, the Artsakh side had started a process of submitting national reports on the implementation of the provisions of international conventions, primarily in the sphere of human rights. Thus, for the first time, Artsakh disseminated in the UN a periodic report on fulfilling the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Works on the report on implementing the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights were launched. Within the frameworks of this process, the Republic of Artsakh plans to accede to the core international human rights instruments. The Republic is also expanding its involvement in the process of discussing global issues and trends. Just in this context should be considered the adoption by Artsakh of the UN “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” within the frameworks of which the National Council for Sustainable Development was established and the Voluntary National Review on the implementation of the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ was prepared and submitted to the UN.