President receives OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on the South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin, who arrived in Armenia on a regional visit.

Welcoming the guest, President Sargsyan underscored that the regular visit paid to Armenia by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative testifies to the fact that the Parliamentary Assembly is interested in the development of political dialogue with Armenia, including in the context of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The President noted that Armenia is also interested in the activation of the dialogue and attaches great importance to the role of parliamentary diplomacy. According to Serzh Sargsyan, Mr. Vigenin’s visit is a good opportunity to exchange views on the current status and the prospects of cooperation between Armenia and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as well as other issues of mutual interest.

The President of the Republic of Armenia said the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is an important platform for dialogue in the OSCE region, including the discussion of security challenges in the South Caucasus, confidence building in the OSCE region and facilitating contacts between societies as one of the priorities set before the elected representatives of peoples, thereby creating favorable conditions for complex issues, including the peaceful settlement of conflicts.

According to President Sargsyan, the parliamentarians should be as careful as possible in the exercise of their mission by promoting dialogue rather than voicing mutual rhetoric, as well as by seeking reconciliation. In this context, the President noted that in some cases the best platforms are regretfully used to foster xenophobia, which is unacceptable.

Thankful for the reception, the OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus emphasized that the Parliamentary Assembly has very good relations and cooperation with the Armenian Parliamentary Delegation in the OSCE PA. Kristian Vigenin briefed the President of Armenia on the purpose of his visit and the meetings held with other stakeholders.

The interlocutors exchanged views over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. President Sargsyan introduced the efforts exerted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Armenia for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.