President receives EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and crisis in Georgia

President Serzh Sargsyan today received Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.

The Armenian President welcomed the guest and underscored that Armenia attaches great importance to the balanced position the EU continues to maintain on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, and, of course, to the EU’s commitment to proceeding with negotiations and setting up a favorable atmosphere for comprehensive settlement of the conflict. Serzh Sargsyan underlined that our country is ready to continue its constructive cooperation with the EU. The President expressed the hope that the EU Special Representative’s activities and regional visits will contribute to the creation of a trustful climate and the establishment of peace in the region.

Herbert Salber noted that he takes every opportunity provided by regional visits to broaden his contacts with both government and non-governmental actors, thereby laying the ground for the EU to effectively support the establishment of peace.
At the meeting, the interlocutors reflected upon the provocative actions that have intensified recently on the contact line with Artsakh and the exacerbation of tensions. According to the President, the general and neutral statements on any inflammatory action to a certain extent serve a basis for Azerbaijan’s bellicose and destructive steps, while justice requires calling things by their proper names in order to avoid the repetition of such conduct.

Herbert Salber reaffirmed his support for the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and underscored that the EU will take every opportunity to help promote peace, by sending a respective message of restraint and respect for the terms of the ceasefire.