Question: The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan has said that a mutual understanding was reached with the Foreign Minister of Armenia in Milan. What kind of mutual understanding was he speaking of?

Answer: The agreements reached between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan during their meeting within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan have been published on the website of the Armenian MFA. Particularly, the following press release reads that “Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov agreed to continue holding meetings in the future and to maintain the existing dynamic.”

Another agreement was reached on the joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and heads of delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries. For a long time, it has not been possible to adopt statements in this format, however, in Milan, the sides were able to reach an agreement on the text of the statement.

In his remarks on December 6 at the OSCE Ministerial Council, which has also been published on the website of the Ministry, acting Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan made reference to that statement. He noted that it was certainly encouraging that the sides were able to agree upon a text and adopt a joint statement following the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Mnatsakanyan added that the statement reiterates the importance of implementing the mutual understanding reached in Dushanbe by intensively working to further reduce the tension in the conflict zone and to prepare the peoples for peace.

It’s already good to refrain from confrontational tone in public statements.