Acting Armenian FM briefs OSCE chief on regional unrest

PanARMENIAN.Net - Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Armen Grigoryan met with Stanislav Zas, the Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, in Yerevan on Monday, August 9 and detailed about the situation resulting from Azerbaijan's incursion into the Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces, as well as the constant provocations of Azerbaijan, including from the territory of Nakhichevan․

Azerbaijani forces violated Armenia’s border in several sections in the provinces of Syunik and Gegharkunik on May 12 and 13 and are still refusing to withdraw their troops from the area. Five Armenian servicemen have been killed in Azerbaijan’s shooting, a dozen others have been wounded, while six troops were captured on May 27, although four of them have already returned home.

Dwelling on the assessments of the Armenian side on the security situation in the CSTO responsibility area and in the Caucasus region, Grigoryan drew attention to the consequences of the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the threats thereof. The sides stressed the need for de-escalation of the situation.

During the meeting, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was discussed, and the need for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship was emphasized.

The sides also weighed in on Armenia's upcoming presidency in the CSTO. Grigoryan briefed Zas on the conceptual approaches of the Armenian presidency, stressing that one of the priorities will be the increase of the organization’s efficiency and strengthening of the mechanisms of responding to the needs of the member states in time.

Zas, meanwhile, stressed the importance of improving the CSTO and assured that the CSTO working bodies will make every effort to implement the priorities to be announced by the Armenian side.