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Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák, who is in Armenia on an official visit, held on Monday a joint news conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan in Yerevan to sum up the outcomes of their talks.

The Slovak minister said he last visited Armenia in March 2019 as OSCE chairperson-in-office, while this marks his second visit to the country within the framework of which the Embassy of Slovakia in Armenia is expected to open.

“There is still room for boosting bilateral relations, deepening and expanding cooperation. I am confident that the opening of our embassy will contribute to this,” the Slovak official said, adding that they expect closer cooperation in education, tourism and culture, as well as greater economic opportunities.

Lajčák said he had been briefed on the Armenian FM’s meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Geneva in January. The ministers also discussed Armenia-EU relations during their meeting, highlighting the provisional application of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

“The next Eastern Partnership Summit will be held in June, which will document the 10-year process of this program and outline further cooperation. Slovakia strongly supports the Eastern Partnership program,” Lajčák said.

Commenting on the current relations between Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Slovak minister said that all his meetings with the Armenian FM necessarily touch upon the Karabakh peace process.

"Last year, during the Slovak chairmanship of the OSCE, we paid close attention to this issue and now we highlighted the fact that the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Geneva in the end of January, Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev met last week in Munich. These are positive developments from our perspective,” he said. “Slovakia fully supports the settlement process led by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. Slovakia is ready to do its part, " Miroslav Lajčák said.