Nalbandian: Azerbaijani efforts to close OSCE Yerevan office are aimed against OSCE itself
ArmInfo.Armenia's involvement in the activities of the OSCE in all areas, the implementation of programs in the country with all certainty can be considered exemplary. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian expressed such a view at a joint press conference with OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier on May 30 in Yerevan.
"The visit of the General Secretary takes place in the period when the Organization has to close its last office in the region as one of the members of the structure, abusing its obligations put veto on OSCE Yerevan Office's mandate prolonging. Baku tried to present it in the light of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, however in reality it is about Azerbaijani-OSCE relations. These actions are aimed against OSCE. I consider that OSCE, Secretariat, and the member-states of Organization made their conclusions on these destructive actions which contradict the tasks and the vector of the Organization", Armenian Foreign Minister said.
At the same time he noted that Armenia expects that many programs, conducted by the OSCE Yerevan Office will continue the implementation in other formats.
Nalbandian noted that he had discussed with Zannier a wide range of issues including topical issues of OSCE agenda, cooperation in all levels, Austrian chairmanship's priority defining, touched upon the parliamentary elections held in Armenia. According to him, valuable is assessment of the international structures saying that the elections were organized well, human rights were protected and the results showed the will of the Armenian nation.
I presented to Mr. Zannier the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries aimed at advancing the peaceful settlement process of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. We highlighted the importance of implementation of the agreements reached during the last year's summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg, the realization of which, as you know, Azerbaijan continues to obstruct.
To note, OSCE Yerevan office will completely cancel its activities in Yerevan on August 31st, 2017. That was the last fully active office of the organization in the region.