On 17 January in Vienna, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid.

The parties discussed regional issues and exchanged views around a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council held on the same day.

The Armenian Foreign Minister touched upon the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh due to the blocking of the Lachin corridor, stressing that the goal of Azerbaijan is the ethnic cleansing of the Armenians of Artsakh.

Minister Mirzoyan stressed the need for effective steps by the international community to unblock the Lachin corridor and restore secure and unhindered communications between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The importance of ensuring humanitarian access of relevant international structures to Nagorno-Karabakh was noted.

During the meeting, there was also an exchange of views on the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Minister Mirzoyan noted that Azerbaijan’s ongoing provocations, disrespect for the agreements reached, and militant rhetoric largely hinder the efforts of the Armenian side aimed at establishing security and stability in the region. The Armenian side also noted that the OSCE, through its structures, should play a role in achieving and maintaining peace.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia presented the latest developments in the process of regulation of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

During the meeting, the interlocutors also touched upon the programs of cooperation with Armenia within the framework of the OSCE.