Good morning,

I would like to welcome my Argentine colleague, who is in Armenia on an official visit.

This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina and we can record that we have had quite intensive contacts with Argentina in those years.

We stress the importance of warm and friendly relations with Argentina. The proof of that fact is that we opened the first Armenian Embassy in Latin America in Argentina, and Argentina is the first Latin American country with which we abolished the visa regime. On its part, the Argentine Embassy to Armenia is the first one in the South Caucasus.

Surely, the role of massive Armenian community in Argentina plays a great role in bilateral relations. Some time ago Argentina took care of the survivors of the Genocide of Armenians, who became worthy citizens of that country and nowadays through their work and achievements keep the high name of both Armenian and Argentine peoples at the global level.

Argentina is a country which condemned the Armenian Genocide by law. For that I would like to present my particular gratitude to You. Economic cooperation is an important part of our relations. Argentina is one of the biggest investors in Armenia’s economy.

During the talks with Mr. Timerman, we touched upon quite a wide range of issues. We agreed to continue the works towards the expansion of legal framework between the two countries, to strengthen cooperation in the international organizations, as well as trade and economic, cultural and scientific and educational interaction. We touched upon international and regional issues of mutual interest, as well.

We also discussed the recent developments in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Mr. Timerman presented the situation around the Malvinas/Falkland islands. We share the opinion that the issues must be settled exclusively through peaceful means based on the principles of international law.

Of course, we could not avoid from touching upon the situation recently created as a result of the Hungarian-Azeri disgraceful deal. Since the crime of Safarov, Azerbaijan was consistently glorified this horrible deed, even presenting the murderer as an example for the youth of Azerbaijan.

How could a member-state of the Council of Europe, European Union and NATO pretend that it believed in the vain promises of Azerbaijan and made such suspicious step? It brought the great concern of the international community.

Totally burying its own country in corruption, the Azerbaijani leadership is trying to export that disease to other states, raising it to inter-state level. During the recent years there were many publications about this in the international media. This is a serious warning for those states and politicians who experience the temptation to go to such deals.
The international community cannot tolerate the continuation of Azerbaijan’s provocative policy under the cover of negotiations.

Once again I welcome my colleague and I would like to convey the floor to my colleague with pleasure, and then we will answer your questions.

Question, Republic of Armenia: Recently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and other Turkish officials have spoken out about the mediation in the negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and even about the holding of the negotiations in Istanbul. Perhaps you are familiar with those statements. What is your position on it? Thank you.

Edward Nalbandian: With regard to your question on the proposals of the Turkish side, the new attempts to mediate and to hold negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue- what does it mean? The several meetings held over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in different countries and in some Russian cities recently did not bring the expected results because they were not held in Istanbul?

Any mediation by the Turkish side or attempts to intervene in this issue are excluded.
Turkey's interference or attempts to mediate in issues of concern for the neighbouring countries have never brought any positive results, just the reverse.
Regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, it has been repeatedly said, and not only by Armenia, that Turkey cannot play any mediating role in this issue.

Question, Radio Liberty: I have two questions for the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Nalbandian, recently many speak about the possibility of the suspension of the negotiations in the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group by Armenia due to Safarov's incident. Is it possible that Armenia really may stop the negotiations due to Safarov’s incident? And the second one, would that incident in anyway have impact on the negotiations? Thank you.

Edward Nalbandian: The incident has already had its very bad impact on the negotiations and on regional stability and security in general. But attempts to quit, fail the negotiations are not made by Armenia, but by Azerbaijan and one of the reasons of this deal is that Azerbaijan still continues those attempts.

Azerbaijan is refusing all proposals made by the Co-Chairs. You are well-aware about our reaction after the statements made in L’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville and Los Cabos and you well know about Azerbaijan’s reaction after those statements.
You are well-aware about our reaction to the proposals made by the Co-chairs, the OSCE Chairmen-in-Office and the UN Secretary-General on the withdrawal of snipers, consolidation of cease-fire and creation of a mechanism to investigate cease-fire regime violations on the front line. Those proposals and others have been continuously rejected by Azerbaijan.

Over years this behavior of Azerbaijan finds its reflection in the bellicose statements, threats, recurring provocations in the line of contact, unprecedented increase of military budget. There is no other country in the world which so intensively increases its military budget. All those are directed at the failure of the negotiations.

Most importantly the international community should not tolerate and allow Azerbaijan the continuation of its provocative policy under the cover of negotiations, which is full of serious threats for the region and not only for the region, but also for the international security and stability.