Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan addressed the OSCE foreign ministers’ summit in Skopje and emphasized that peace in the South Caucasus requires Azerbaijan’s genuine engagement and strong support from the international community. Mirzoyan criticized the OSCE, stating that the organization’s stature is declining as it fails to implement its core tasks of early warning and conflict prevention. He highlighted the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stating that Azerbaijan’s military offensive resulted in the forced displacement of the region’s indigenous population. Mirzoyan called for reciprocal engagement from Azerbaijan and the support of international actors based on well-known principles to open a new era of peace in the South Caucasus.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister reaffirmed the country’s commitment to principles such as mutual recognition of territorial integrity, delimitation of the state border based on legitimate maps, and the opening of transport and economic communications. He emphasized the importance of the Armenia-Turkey border opening and highlighted the agreement to open the land border for 3rd country citizens and Armenian and Turkish citizens holding diplomatic passports. Mirzoyan also addressed the humanitarian issues related to Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization, including the release of Armenian detainees and the protection of Armenian cultural property. He concluded by reiterating Armenia’s readiness for negotiations and the need for genuine efforts from all parties to achieve a lasting and peaceful resolution.

Overall, Ararat Mirzoyan’s speech at the OSCE foreign ministers’ summit emphasized the importance of Azerbaijan’s engagement and international support for peace in the South Caucasus. He criticized the OSCE for failing to fulfill its core tasks and highlighted the consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mirzoyan called for reciprocal engagement and adherence to well-known principles to open a new era of peace in the region. He also addressed the importance of the Armenia-Turkey border opening and highlighted humanitarian issues that need to be addressed for lasting peace. Mirzoyan expressed Armenia’s commitment to regional and global peace and called for genuine efforts from all interested parties and the international community.