On May 17, Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who is in Helsinki on a working visit, participated in the 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which was also dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe.

Juha Sipilä, Prime Minister of Finland, Timo Soini, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, greeted the guests with welcoming remarks.

In his remarks Minister Mnatsakanyan congratulated everyone on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe and noted: "Against the background of multiple challenges to our collective commitments European unity is in compelling demand. Complacency about values of democracy and human rights, and tolerance to their failures are a cause of collective amnesia. We forget that democracy, human rights and the rule of law have been a result of arduous work of the past 70 years. We need to be reminded about the catastrophic alternatives to a democratic society in Europe. Common democratic European space cannot be taken for granted. Both our national and our collective European institutions need consistent reinforcement.”

The Foreign Minister of Armenia thanked Finland for fruitful Presidency in the Committee of Ministers and wished success to France in its future initiatives.

At the end of the session, the Presidency of the Organization was passed from Finland to France.

On May 16, Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated in the solemn events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe.