YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian received on January 20 Ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries accredited in Armenia – Sergei Kopyrkin (Russia), Jonathan Lacôte (France) and Lynne Tracy (USA), the foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The meeting focused on the post-war situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, the regional security and peace-related issues. The meeting participants highlighted the necessity for resuming the peace process within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

The Armenian FM emphasized the need for complete implementation of the fundamental principles for the settlement, in this context highlighting the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination and security.

Introducing the implementation process of the November 9 statement relating to the establishment of the ceasefire and the deployment of peacekeepers in Artsakh, the FM stressed the priority of full and uninterrupted addressing of humanitarian issues, in particular over the return of the prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons.

The Armenian FM and the foreign Ambassadors also exchanged views on the humanitarian situation in Artsakh and the ongoing actions aimed at addressing the needs of Artsakh-Armenians. In this context a special importance was attached to the engagement of the international structures, in particular the UN and its specialized agencies.

The minister also drew the attention of the guests on the necessity of taking urgent measures for preserving the Armenian historical-cultural, religious heritage in the territories of Artsakh which have come under the Azerbaijani control, taking into account Azerbaijan’s steps aimed at eliminating the Armenian cultural, historical heritage or distorting the identity.

The sides also discussed a number of issues of mutual interest.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan