Edward Nalbandian: Good afternoon, I am glad to welcome Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Yerevan.

First of all, I would like to start with expressing condolences on the crash of the plane, flying from Sharm-el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. We express condolences to the relatives, beloved ones, families of the dead and all the brotherly Russian people.

I would also like to use this opportunity and offer condolences to the families of the casualties as a result of the plane crash in South Sudan, and express gratitude to Sergey Lavrov for the immense support, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia exerted and exerts in the process of evacuation of the bodies of the dead. At our request Russia’s Consul in Uganda and South Sudan was sent there, as well as our Consul from Cairo went to South Sudan, so that the evacuation issue will be solved in the near future.

I would like to mention that the meetings of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia are regular and this is quite understandable. We have allied strategic relations; we meet both in Moscow and Yerevan, as well as within various international forums.

This is yet another good chance to discuss the process of implementation of arrangements made on the level of the heads of our states.

The heads of our countries also hold meetings on a regular basis. They meet in Yerevan, Moscow and within various international platforms. Meetings of such kind were held on the sidelines of the Summits of Collective Security Treaty Organization and Eurasian Economic Union. The President of our state paid a visit to Moscow in September, and also in May on the occasion of the celebration of 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, CSTO and EEU Summits. We highly appreciate that Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation visited Armenia on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide on April 24.

Intensive meetings are held by Prime Ministers of our states, Presidents of the Parliaments. Fourth Armenian-Russian Forum on Inter-regional Cooperation was held here recently. Concurrently, Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council paid a visit to Armenia.

The Inter-governmental Commission and Commission on military-technical cooperation are working efficiently.

Cultural-scientific ties are dynamically advancing. Most recently the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU) branch was opened in Yerevan. As you are aware, the Third International Forum of the Alumni of MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) was held here. Both Sergey Viktorovich and me, we are alumni of this prestigious institute, which is very close to our hearts.

Today, we, certainly, reflected on many regional and international issues, discussed Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, efforts exerted by Russia and the Co-Chairs. We commend those efforts directed to exceptionally peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and I believe we would keep on working along these lines. Now, I would like to give the floor to Sergey Viktorovich, please.

ArmeniaTV: Question to Foreign Minister of Armenia. Mr. Minister, as is known, the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh drafted by British rapporteur Robert Walter. How would you comment this? Thank you.

Edward Nalbandian: On a number of occasions I made statements on that. I will tell once again, that Azerbaijan makes attempts to shift the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement onto other formats. The only format that enjoys the mandate of the international community is the mandate, given to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who are mediators in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Armenia’s stance absolutely coincides with that of the Co-Chairs - that other structures, organizations should not undertake any efforts, that could hinder the peaceful settlement process and, particularly, lead to an increase of tensions in the region.

In this sense, surely, those attempts to shift the negotiation onto other formats are counterproductive, and you very well understand, that no conflict was ever resolved within the PACE. Sergey Viktorovich mentioned as well, that there is a confirmed mandate, given to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. The parties to the conflict should work together with the Co-Chairs so that exceptionally a peaceful settlement is found.

Regarding the bias, as the rapporteur himself states, one thing is clear here, i.e. the man who was among the friends of Azerbaijan in the British Parliament for a long time, according to the accounts, published in the British media, is financed by Baku from respective funds of Azerbaijan, could not but have a biased stance, particularly, when the very British media wrote about him and some members of his family to have financial and economic interests in Azerbaijan.

It was rather strange, that two days before the conclusion of his mission in the capacity of British Parliamentarian, and correspondingly, that of PACE, he decided to make that document up. Practically, one year before the termination of his mandate as rapporteur, he concocted the document. I am not going to give comment on this, as I do not think, he is worth it.

I would like to remind that the very Azerbaijani leadership comments on different documents adopted by the PACE in a different manner. The recent document on Azerbaijan, which was adopted by that organization, was called “a scrap of paper”, “expression of Islamophobia” by the leadership of Azerbaijan; and as to this document, they present it as sort of a fundamental document of the international relations and international law, almost tantamount to the UN Charter. I leave those comments to the mercy of the Azerbaijanis and their friends.

This is in a nutshell what I wanted to say on that issue.

Sergey Lavrov (in addition to E. Nalbandian’s response): I would like to add some words, as the Co-Chairs are concerned. We – Russia, the United States and France – firmly oppose that on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, instead of persistent, pragmatic, patient dialogue (as, indeed, the issue is rather complex, with its history), that instead of such a dialogue, attempts were undertaken shift this matter to other international platforms, which do not deal with the settlement.

At least, no one gave them such a mandate on behalf of the international community. The Co-Chairs work on the basis of the parties’ agreements, on the basis of arrangements, which are approved by the UN Security Council.

The Troika is the authorized collective mediator on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, and whatever drastic actions, undertaken by whoever, only harm the process and the Co-Chairs’ activities, who, I repeat, are quite actively engaged, not always publicly; but we are always in permanent contact with the parties both on the level of the Ministers, and our Special Representatives.