The Head of the Armenian Mission to the OSCE, Ambassador Arman Kirakosyan delivered a speech at the OSCE Permanent Council on January 16.
The Ambassador presented the priorities of the Armenian side during the Organization’s activity in 2014. Referring to Swiss Foreign Minister, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Didier Burkhalter’s speech, Ambassador Kirakosyan agreed with the Swiss side that it’s necessary to draw lessons from history.
The Ambassador noted that the Ottoman Empire perpetrated the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians under the cover of the World War I. A new security system was established after the war based on the realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, which gave birth to many of the OSCE member states. The principles of peace, security and the self-determination of peoples were later reflected in the Helsinki Final Act.
Ambassador Kirakosyan welcomed the intention of the Swiss presidency to contribute to the reinforcement of confidence-building measures in the Karabakh conflict zone. He noted that the measures could turn effective if the authorities and the civil society of Nagorno Karabakh were involved.
The Armenian side expressed support to Switzerland’s aspiration to help the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and underlined that conflicts should solved only within the framework of negotiating formats. Arman Kurakisyan attached importance to the message of the Swiss presidency that it’s necessary to exclude violence, reinforce the ceasefire and respect the commitments.
The Armenian side also stressed the importance of the Swiss experience in contributing to peace and reconciliation through mediating efforts and voiced hope that the Swiss presidency would work in a transparent and unbiased manner. Ambassador Kirakosyan wished success to Switzerland in its responsible mission in 2014.
