Working visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to Switzerland

On the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, negotiations between President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev started today at the residence of Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations.

The meeting is attended by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Edward Nalbandyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, as well as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov (Russia), Andrew Schofer (USA), Stefan Visconti (France) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev are due to hold a private meeting following the talks.

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On the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held today talks at the residence of Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations.

The talks were attended by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Edward Nalbandyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, as well as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov (Russia), Andrew Schofer (USA), Stefan Visconti (France) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev held a private meeting following the talks. They discussed the possibilities of advancing the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a result of the talks, the Presidents agreed to take measures to intensify the negotiation process and to take additional steps to reduce tensions on the Line of Contact.

The Co-Chairs expressed their satisfaction with these direct talks, which took place after a long interval. They remain ready to work with the sides on mediating a peacefully negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs made a joint statement on the results of the negotiations.

At the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Geneva, the Swiss Confederation, President Serzh Sargsyan met with the representatives of the Armenian community in Switzerland. In his introductory speech, President Sargsyan presented the results of the talks with the President of Azerbaijan.

“The meeting with the President of Azerbaijan ended a few minutes ago. It can be stated that no specific arrangements have been made about the settlement options. But we have agreed to take measures to ease the tension so that we do not have losses in the front line.

I must say that both the President of Azerbaijan and I are deeply concerned about it. May God have him always think so. He, too, understands the complexity of the problem just as I do, of course, but the problem is such that there will never be an easy solution. However, I wish to assure you that we do not see any such solution as may undermine Karabakh’s security in a way or another.

The only solution acceptable for us is that Karabakh be outside Azerbaijan. Never can any Armenian leader accept and implement other solution whatsoever, and for that reason, we will do our utmost to develop Armenia by strengthening our country’s economy,” the President of Armenia said.

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After the talks held with the President of Azerbaijan in Geneva on the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, President Serzh Sargsyan met with the representatives of the Armenian community in Switzerland at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Swiss Confederation.

As with the traditional meetings held with local Armenian communities during the President’s overseas trips, Serzh Sargsyan first presented the purpose of his visit, the results of the talks and Armenia’s position in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process. The President availed himself of the opportunity to speak about issues of pan-Armenian relevance and the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora ties, as well as about those Homeland development-targeted efforts made by the Swiss Armenian community. In this context, Serzh Sargsyan emphasized that although the Swiss Armenian community is not so large, but it has an important and special place of its own among Diaspora communities.

In the presence of community representatives, the President of the Republic of Armenia handed high State awards to Swiss Armenian public figures Vardan Sirmakes and Albert Poghosyan.

On the occasion of Independence Day of Armenia, for valuable contribution to the development of Armenia’s economy, as well as for numerous charitable and public activities, Vardan Sirmakes was awarded the First Degree Order for Services to Homeland, while Albert Poghosyan was awarded the First Degree Medal for Services to Homeland for the strengthening of Homeland-Diaspora relations and numerous charitable and social activities.

The President thanked the Swiss Armenian public figures for patriotic activity and wished them every success in their future undertakings.