Question: Minister Nalbandian, what are the outcomes of this meeting in Brussels?
 
Edward Nalbandian: Armenia continues to actively cooperate with the European Union. Three phases of negotiations on the new legal framework of the relations have already been held. The cooperation is deepening in the fields of human rights, democracy, rule of law, good governance, as well as in the sectoral cooperation in the areas of science, education, small and medium enterprises, healthcare, transport, agriculture. We have joined the Horizon 2020 and COSME programmes. The cooperation continues in the sphere of mobility. We are discussing the issues related to the launch of a dialogue on visa liberalization. The intensive contacts within parliamentary and local government formats are being pursued. All these issues were included in the agenda of today’s discussion in Brussels.
 
Question: If I may, a question on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue: Today in Istanbul Aliyev again voiced accusations among other things on the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Armenian forces in the conflict zone. What would you say in this regard?
 
Edward Nalbandian: It is an obvious falsification. The Foreign Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh issued a corresponding statement refuting these allegations and expressing readiness to receive an observation mission to expose the lies of Baku, as well as to get a first hand acquaintance on the ground with the crimes committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Force. Baku orchestrates such performances to distract the attention of international community from the egregious facts of gross violation by Azerbaijan of the international humanitarian law and international human rights law, which Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia have presented to different international institutions.
 
If the disclosure of truth really concerns Baku, then it should not hinder the creation of a mechanism for the investigation of ceasefire violations,  proposed years ago by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries  and once again approved in Vienna, and should undertake concrete steps for its establishment as soon as possible.   
 
Question: However, high-ranking Azerbaijani officials keep stating that in Vienna Azerbaijan has only agreed to the maintenance of ceasefire regime, and has not made any other commitments, such as the creation of mechanism for investigation, the enhancement of capabilities of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Was this something predictable?
 
Edward Nalbandian: The statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries clearly reflects in black-and-white-terms the commitments and agreements undertaken by parties. The ink has not even dried on that statement while Azerbaijan is trying to make another step back.  
 
It is noteworthy, that the authors of those statements are Azerbaijani officials, I would say, well-known for their “pearls of wisdom”, as well as the Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, who, according to the definition of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, act independently without the instruction of the capital.
 
In fact, according to Baku’s logic, all the participants of the summit, including the US Secretary of State, Foreign Minister of Russia, State Secretary of France misunderstood the essence of the reached agreements.
 
This is yet another evidence that the international community and Baku are speaking in different languages. Baku makes futile attempts to present misinterpretations through some of its official.
 
Armenia together with the Co-Chair countries will do its utmost to implement the agreements reached in Vienna and to create conditions for the continuation of joint efforts with the Co-Chair countries towards an exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue.