Artsakh FM in Brussels: unrecognized status of Artsakh should not  serve as a barrier to cooperation with the EU

ArmInfo.The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic) Masis Mailyan spoke on October 20 in Brussels on the topic "Prospects of EU-Artsakh Cooperation as a contribution to peace and stability in  the South Caucasus" at a round table organized by the  non-governmental organization "European Friends of Armenia".

As the press service of the Artsakh Foreign Ministry reports, in his  speech Masis Mayilyan presented the challenges facing the South  Caucasus, noting that the main sources of threat to regional peace  and security are Azerbaijan's nihilistic attitude to international  law and ignoring the fundamental rights of the citizens of Artsakh  and the rights of Artsakh Republic to existence. By imposing the  logic of confrontation, the Azerbaijani authorities demonstrate that  their goal is not to achieve peace through dialogue, but to gain a  unilateral military and political advantage.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh expressed his confidence  that the EU's cooperation with Artsakh will play a stabilizing role  and will become an important contribution to the establishment of a  lasting peace in the South Caucasus. Masis Mayilyan noted that such  cooperation will become a signal about the inadmissibility of using  confrontation and isolation as a means of resolving conflicts, as  they are fraught with destabilization of the entire region. He  stressed that the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms  should not become a hostage to the unresolved Azerbaijani-Karabakh  conflict, and the unrecognized status of Artsakh should not serve as  a barrier to cooperation between Artsakh and the EU.

The ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh Ruben Melikyan participated  in the roundtable and presented the current situation in the sphere  of human rights protection in Artsakh.