YEREVAN. – For simple reasons, I have not had direct contact with the new minister of foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan stated this in an interview with a local TV program.

"It is very important for us now that we strengthen this de-escalation to the best and prepare for the next stage of our work. Let me remind that our previous meeting was at the end of January, and we had had quite a long, comprehensive and deep work in all directions. And we had to move on to the next stages, for which we were absolutely ready, in all the directions I was talking about," he said, adding that he was speaking about his meeting with Azerbaijan’s now former FM Elmar Mammadyarov.

"By the way, that meeting should have been in the spring; that's what we had planned. But this [COVID-19] pandemic really hindered and brought new realities, new developments, various internal political expressions, as well as to this situation in Azerbaijan.

As for the new [Azerbaijani foreign] minister, I have not had the opportunity to meet him. I, of course, look forward to that meeting. In principle, I have the honor to bear political responsibility today, to lead this negotiation process at the level of foreign ministers.

I have expressed all the approaches that underlie Armenia's position, and I am ready to work with anyone—of course, with a person of equal responsibility, with the [Azerbaijani] minister of foreign affairs—to move this process forward, regardless of who that person is. Naturally, I expect to deal with a constructive and responsible person with whom I will start working.”