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After the official welcome ceremony for OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter, as well as after his narrow-format negotiations with President Serzh Sargsyan and extended-format negotiations with the participation of the official delegations, Serzh Sargsyan and Didier Burkhalter held a meeting with the representatives of mass media to sum up the negotiation results.

Statement by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at a meeting with mass media representatives after negotiations with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, President of Swiss Confederation and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter

Distinguished Mr. President,
Honorable ladies and gentlemen,

I am glad to welcome the President of the Swiss Confederation, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter and the delegation led by him in Yerevan.

We discussed a broad range of issues on the Armenian-Swiss cooperation agenda, as well as touched upon the current regional and international security challenges and collaboration issues in the context of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship.

We stated with satisfaction that since the establishment of diplomatic relations our countries have managed to create a meaningful and inclusive cooperation agenda; reciprocal visits of presidents, opening of embassies, promotion of constructive dialogue between our foreign affairs ministries and parliaments. Switzerland has carried out assistance programs being of great importance for Armenia.

We praised the recent years’ constant growth rates in bilateral trade thanks to which Switzerland is our 4th European trade partner. We showed our interest in enlarging the Swiss business community in Armenia which includes around 40 Swiss companies and welcomed the Armenian-Swiss business forum held in Zurich this May and the upcoming visit of Swiss businessmen to the Republic of Armenia.

We highlighted the International Organization of La Francophonie as a relatively new important platform for the Armenian-Swiss cooperation considering also that there was a time when Mr. President had close ties with that organization.

We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to further advancing cooperation in the OSCE format. I once again told Mr. Burkhalter that Armenia is going to support Switzerland in all phases of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. We attach importance to Switzerland’s famous image of an impartial and honest mediator in international relations. We strongly believe that the Swiss Chairmanship will do its best to promote the OSCE agenda by means of stimulating straightforward and effective dialogue, conforming to the OSCE principles and supporting effective political dialogue between the member states.

We dwelt on the subject of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to finding a solution to this complex issue as soon as possible. We agree that the conflict can’t be resolved by means of war; on the contrary, it will become more complicated. The threats of use of force and the regular violations of the ceasefire greatly hinder the negotiation process. We clearly mention that the primary confidence building measure is, inter alia, the demonstration of proper respect towards the Nagorno-Karabakh people. Finally, this is a national liberation struggle for exercising the fundamental right to self-determination and any solution which neglects this reality is doomed to failure. We strongly believe that in order for it to be effective every negotiation effort and process should take into account the position and opinion of the Nagorno-Karabakh people. We stated that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the most optimal format to resolve that conflict.

We praised Armenia’s effective collaboration with all OSCE structures, and I asked the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to tell all our partners in that authoritative organization that Armenia is really interested in further advancing collaboration in the areas of democratic reforms, protection of human rights and freedom of speech.

On behalf of our people, I expressed my gratitude to Mr. President for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Swiss Parliament, Switzerland’s devotion to universal values, as well as for its unbending commitment to promoting those values.

We stated that because of Turkey’s lack of commitment the Armenian-Turkish protocols mediated by the Swiss Confederation have been frozen up to the present day. In any case, we appreciate the role Switzerland played in that complicated process. I am sure that Turkey’s illegal blockade of Armenia should always remain in the focus of all international organizations, including the OSCE.

Now I am pleased to give the floor to President Burkhalter.