The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization today held a session through a video call, as reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
The foreign ministers discussed a broad range of issues related to the strengthening of cooperation within the scope of the CSTO, global and regional developments, the challenges of and threats to security, etc.
In his speech, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenian Zohrab Mnatsakanyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to deepening cooperation within the scope of the CSTO to increase effectiveness of synthesis of foreign policies and strengthening the defense component and the mechanisms for countering threats and challenges.
Touching upon the challenges facing the international community due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, Minister Mnatsakanyan particularly stated the following: “Armenia expresses full solidarity with its allies in the fight against the coronavirus and is ready to work in all directions to overcome the consequences.” In this context, Mnatsakanyan attached importance to the adoption of the declaration of the foreign ministers to pay heed to the call of the United Nations Secretary-General for global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic.
“In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that, in spite of the common understanding of the international community that it is necessary to establish global ceasefire and focus on the pandemic and on exerting efforts to overcome the consequences of the pandemic, Armenia’s neighboring Azerbaijan isn’t rejecting its expansionist approaches and belligerent rhetoric. Azerbaijan continues to violate the ceasefire regime, and there is still sabotage on the border, and all this poses a threat to the security of peaceful civilians,” he said.
In this context, the Armenian foreign minister touched upon the May 18-22 large-scale operative-tactical military exercises that Azerbaijan conducted in violation of international commitments (Vienna document). He also emphasized that such operations, which undermine regional stability and cause serious harm to the peace process, must be properly condemned.
The Armenian foreign minister also reaffirmed the commitment of the authorities of Armenia and the newly elected authorities of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to an exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
“We sharply rule out the use of force or threat of use of force and continue to participate in the peace process constructively, and the potential of this can’t be fully realized without the participation of the people of Artsakh and adequate mutual concessions of all the parties,” he said.
Minister Mnatsakanyan also touched upon the events unfolding in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for the defense of religious and national minorities.
At the end of the session, the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers adopted joint declarations “On the Occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War”, “On Support to the Call of the United Nations Secretary-General to Establish Global Ceasefire due to the COVID-19 Pandemic”, “On Solidarity and Mutual Understanding in the Fight against the Coronavirus” and “On Establishing Loyalty to the Goals and Principles of the United Nations Charter”.
