On August 21, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, received Alexander Ben-Zvi, Deputy Director General and Director of the Eurasia Department of the Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel.

Welcoming the guest, Foreign Minister Mnatsakanyan noted that during the recent period the Armenian-Israeli relations have developed, the political dialogue and cooperation agenda have expanded. The Foreign Minister emphasized Armenia’s interest and readiness to further deepen the bilateral cooperation in different spheres.

The sides shared the view that there exists a great potential for trade and economic cooperation between Armenia and Israel, which can be utilized even more effectively through joined efforts. The interlocutors touched upon the prospects for deepening cooperation on the development agenda, as well as highlighted the cooperation in cultural, scientific and educational spheres, by emphasizing the necessity of sharing expertise in the field of high technologies and innovations.

Minister Mnatsakanyan presented Armenia's continuous initiatives in advancing the agenda of preventing genocide and crimes against humanity and noted that on December 9, Yerevan would host the third Global Forum “Against the Crime of Genocide,” dedicated to the role of education in genocide prevention. Referring to the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, the Foreign Minister mentioned that first and foremost it is a moral responsibility and a tribute to the memory of innocent victims; it is also an important contribution to the international efforts to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity.

Minister Mnatsakanyan and Alexander Ben-Zvi exchanged views on urgent international and regional issues, particularly touching upon the ongoing processes in the Middle East and the paths to the resolution of the crisis in Syria.

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan reaffirmed Armenia's position on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, noting that the status and security of Nagorno-Karabakh are Armenia’s main priorities. The Foreign Minister emphasized that the stances of Armenia and Israel on this issue coincide: the conflict should be settled exclusively through peaceful negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. In reference to the effectiveness of the negotiation process, both sides emphasized the necessity of the establishing and enhancing an environment conducive to peace. In this context, Minister Mnatsakanyan mentioned that our partners should abstain from all the actions that lead to an arms race in the region and increase the risks of instability.