Good morning.

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome my German counterpart Guido Westerwelle in Armenia.

It’s a good opportunity to keep on our dialogue. We have regular meetings and I was in Germany recently. We use a variety of other opportunities at international conferences.

This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. During those years we have undertaken efficient steps to strengthen, deepen and develop our cooperation in various bilateral spheres. There is a high-level political dialogue between the two countries and the trade and economic interaction goes on.

Today we have about 400 million dollars worth of trade, but I think that our abilities and potential are higher, and with joint efforts we can achieve more.

There is sufficiently solid legal framework-some 30 treaties between the two countries were signed and today we are developing new treaties and projects that may be signed in the near future. We are grateful to Germany for its support provided to Armenia’s development since the independence.

The inter-parliamentary ties are very active and the decentralized cooperation is developing, as well.

It is quite good, our consultations are underway between the two Foreign Ministries, which are related to both regional and international issues.

Today, we touched upon the interaction in the frames of the European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership, as well.

During the meeting we touched upon various international and regional issues, particularly the issue in the South Caucasus and the Middle East developments.

Today the Minister Westerwelle would be received by the President of the Republic of Armenia, as well and we would continue our talks.

Thank you.

Question: Minister Nalbandian, which is the reason of the absence of a progress in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue?

Answer: Concerning to the Karabakh issue, in Sochi an important statement was adopted during the recent meeting of the Presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan which states about the steps to be undertaken towards the achievement of progress in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

We hope that they would be implemented.

Similar statements have been adopted previously, as well. For example, one year ago in March during the Sochi summit. In that statement adopted in Sochi, the Presidents referred to an important agreement which wasn’t fulfilled due to Azerbaijan’s refusal of an agreement which was actually reached on.

In Sochi the sides agreed to create a mechanism to investigate incidents along the ceasefire line. During the recent year, Azerbaijan did everything to prevent the creation of such mechanism. The appropriate proposals were presented by the Co-Chairs in April of 2011 and Armenia gave its positive answer, and in October reaffirmed it, while Azerbaijan has not given any answer until now.

Last year in December during the discussions on the OSCE budget, the Azerbaijani side even threatened to veto the entire OSCE’s budget, if there was
any funding to create that mechanism.

It’s one of the examples, why progress is not achieved as agreements are reached, but Azerbaijan afterwards is backtracking.

Before the last summits, the appropriate preparatory works were carried out on a level of foreign ministers, as it was before the Kazan, Sochi, Astrakhan or St. Petersburg summits. Those preparatory works were aimed at the approximating of the positions over the principles under discussion. Each time when we reached agreements, Azerbaijan, coming to the summit, refused the reached agreements and presented new amendments and proposals.

That is the reason why it is impossible to achieve progress. It is not the failure of the Co-Chairs to help the sides. The Co-Chairs have done quite huge work. Russian President Medvedev exerted important efforts during the last two- three years.

A dozen of meetings took place on a level of the Presidents and Foreign Ministers during recent the two-three years. The Co-Chairs several times were in
the region - Stepanakert, Yerevan and Baku.

During the last meeting in Sochi the work of the Co-Chairs was highly commended. Even the Azerbaijani President stated that he highly assessed the activities of the Co-Chairs. The Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed confidence that the Co-Chairs would continue their activities with the same mandate and in the same format until peace was established in the region.

During the Sochi meeting Azerbaijan’s Presidents was saying one thing, and in a few days Azerbaijan continued to criticize the Co-Chairs on various levels and comments were made which are contrary to the Sochi trilateral statement. That is why it’s impossible to achieve progress. 

The list of such examples can be continued furthermore. I do not know what German
newspaper or news agency you represent, but if you would like I am willing to give You an expanded interview regarding this issue.

Thank you.