I am glad to welcome the UNDP Administrator, Under-Secretary-General Helen Clark in Yerevan with whom today we had meaningful negotiations, discussed the results of joint programs, future activities, perspective projects.

Armenia attaches importance to the activities of the UN office in Armenia and, particularly, the work realized by the UNDP during the twenty-three years of our Independence, the support for the development of Armenia, aid aimed at solution of issues in various fields.

During the meeting we exchanged views with Madam Clark on the mission of the UNDP in different parts of the world as well as the activity aimed at the solution of global issues.

During our negotiations we touched upon important issues of the international agenda and the UN role in the processes of their resolution.

We mutually expressed deep concern about the violent acts committed by the terrorists in the Middle East, Syria and Iraq.

In this context we give importance to the adoption of the resolution by consensus in the Security Council of the UN which outlines the main directions of the fight against terrorists.

During the talks we evaluated the cooperation of our state with the specialized agencies of the UN. We believe that the activities of those organizations in any country should be based on the needs and preferences of that particular state.

Armenia has always attempted to have its contribution in the global processes and actively takes part in the elaboration of the new agenda of the UN. In this context I’m glad to inform that next month Armenia will host the regional conference entitled “Developing Government and Governance Capacities for Sustainable Development.” For that I’d like to thank the UNDP office in Yerevan for supporting the organization of the conference.

Now I would like to give the floor to Madam Clark.

Q&A

Question: At the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly in his statement the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan mentioned about international and regional organizations, and attached importance to their resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh issue. How important are those documents and resolutions actually for the process of the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh issue?

Answer: I think you have noticed that among the organizations referred to by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, the OSCE and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs who are engaged in the process of the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and have a mediation mandate of the international community and support the sides aimed at the resolution of the issue, are not mentioned.

The organizations mentioned by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan neither have this mandate nor do they deal with this issue. Azerbaijan tries to shift the negotiation process to other formats where there is no deep understanding of this issue. This is yet another evidence that Azerbaijan is not ready to resolve the conflict. Azerbaijan is not ready for the settlement based on the norms and principles of international law expressed by the international community through the Co-Chairs and reflected in the Statements of the Presidents of the Co-Chair states in L'Aquila, Muskoka, Douville, Los Cabos, Enniskillen.

Armenia has on several occasions reiterated about its readiness to continue the negotiations based on the elements, proposals, principles presented in these five statements aimed at exclusively peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Question: The President of Armenia recently stated that Armenia discusses the withdrawal of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. Tell us, please, are there approximate dates for the recalling of the Armenian-Turkish protocols from the Parliament?

Answer: If there was such a decision, the President of the Republic would probably say about it. But the President said what he said and as of now I have nothing to add.