Statement by Foreign Minister of Armenia at the 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

On May 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan participated in the 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and delivered remarks.

The full statement of Minister Mirzoyan is presented below.

"Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

This year we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of our Organization. 75 years after its establishment, the Council of Europe still remains one of the most important international organizations in protection of human rights and the rule of law.

As we navigate through challenging times, where the threshold for violation of these basic principles, including the use of force, is alarmingly high, it is imperative that we recommit ourselves to the values and ideals that have guided this institution during three quarters of a century.

Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the case for all the member states not only in the context of internal democratic institutions, but also in their relations with other states. In this sense since the Reykjavik Summit, significant human rights and humanitarian developments have unfolded in the geographic area of the Council of Europe, particularly in South Caucasus.

In September 2023, after 9 months of blockade, the world witnessed the forcible displacement of the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan’s military attack on the region, as documented by the Commissioner for Human Rights after her fact-finding visit in October 2023.

With the help of the international community, the Armenian Government has taken necessary measures to meet the short-term needs of the refugees. Another pressing humanitarian issue remains the issue of the release of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilians illegally detained in Azerbaijan.

Along with this, we should also note the positive developments. In April, Armenia and Azerbaijan finally started the delimitation process based on the 1991 Alma-Ata declaration, which was welcomed by many countries and organizations, including the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Following my most recent meeting with the Azerbaijani counterpart on 10-11 May in Almaty, Armenia reaffirms its commitment to the lasting, stable peace in the South Caucasus based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity as per Alma-Ata declaration, the delimitation of the state border in line with the Alma-Ata Declaration, as well as the unblocking of communications under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of two states, based on the principles of equality and reciprocity.

We believe the Council of Europe with its conventional system, has an important role to play in contributing to the democratic security of Europe and upholding the rights of all persons living in its geographical area.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank Liechtenstein for its dedicated guidance of the work of the Committee of the Ministers and wish all the best to the Lithuanian chairmanship.

Thank you."