On 26 February, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in Geneva within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council meeting. The RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

The interlocutors discussed a number of issues related to cooperation within the framework of the UN human rights protection system.

Steps and achievements towards the protection of human rights and strengthening of the rule of law in Armenia were highlighted, thanks to which Armenia holds leading positions in the region according to the ratings of various international authoritative structures.

During the discussion on the problems of the protection of human rights in different parts of the world, the importance of the effective use of the existing instruments was emphasised, as the opposite leads to the inability to prevent serious violations and the repetition of catastrophic situations.

Referring to the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh, Minister Mirzoyan presented the steps taken to address the needs and rights of the Armenian population forcibly displaced from their homeland.

During the meeting Ararat Mirzoyan and Volker Türk also exchanged thoughts on the recent developments in the South Caucasus. Minister Mirzoyan presented RA approaches to the key issues in the process of regulating relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, based on the unequivocal respect for the key principles of territorial integrity, indivisibility of borders and sovereignty. Minister Mirzoyan stressed that it will be possible to move forward in the peace process if these principles are clearly observed, as well as refraining from aggressive rhetoric in the region and steps aimed at aggravating the situation on the ground.