Good afternoon,

I am glad to welcome my counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs –is on an official visit to Armenia. I visited Riga in June, and this is a return visit, during which we once again had an opportunity to exchange thoughts over a range of issues, that is bilateral agenda issues and a number of regional and international issues.

We touched upon Armenia-European Union relations. As you know from January 2015 on Latvia will preside over the European Union. The Eastern Partnership Summit will be held in Latvia in May next year. We discussed preparatory works of the Riga Summit.

The EU-Armenia Cooperation Council session will be held in January. I will again meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia there, who will then act on behalf of the European Union.

We touched upon a range of international, regional issues. I presented the efforts exerted by Armenia and Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. We also talked over the Ukrainian crisis and those steps undertaken towards the finding of a solution to it. We had a discussion on the Middle East.

We will have an opportunity to continue our discussion during the working lunch.
With regard to bilateral relations, of course, I should underline that we noticed with satisfaction the rather active development of relations over the recent period of time, the positive dynamic of mutual visits – the President of the Republic of Armenia visited Riga, the President of Latvia was in Armenia, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia was in Latvia, and we look forward to the Speaker of the Saeima (Parliament of Latvia) to pay a return visit to Armenia in 2015.

The Foreign Ministers hold meetings quite regularly, be that in Riga, or Yerevan, and in the frameworks of different international conferences.

So, I would like to once again welcome my Latvian counterpart and to give the floor to him.

Question: Minster Minister, just several days after the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE was held in Basel, the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan again declared that Azerbaijan will resolve the conflict through military means. How would you comment on that?

Answer: Maybe this is Baku’s response to the Statement made by the OSCE Co-Chairs in the frameworks of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. The Co-Chairs highlight, that there can be no military solution to the conflict and call upon the sides to reach the resolution of the conflict exclusively through peaceful means, underline the importance of the respect of the Ceasefire Agreement of 1994, and agreement on the strengthening of cease-fire regime.

During the my briefing in Basel I noted that it may be the diplomatic, I will repeat what I said then, the extremely delicate language of the Co-Chairs in that Statement, that is not comprehensible, not understandable to Azerbaijan.

Now with that new statement by the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, with the new escalation of the situation along the Line of Contact it is once again reaffirmed that, indeed, this language is not comprehensible to Baku.

I think the Co-Chairs should make respective conclusions.

Question: Mister Nalbandian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey two days ago called upon Armenia to cooperate with neighbours. What is your reaction to that? Thank you.

Answer: Our diplomacy and foreign policy are directed at the establishment and development of cooperation with all states, but you do understand, that one can develop cooperation with those countries, that are ready to cooperate.

Could cooperation be developed with a country which refuses to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia, which keeps the borders with Armenia closed, which pursues a policy of aggressive denial of the Armenian Genocide, and, in general, acts in a hostile manner on various issues concerning Armenia or the Armenian people?

Cooperation is possible with the country, which is ready for cooperation. I think, as soon as Turkey is ready to face her history, to move forward and implement those obligations, which it undertook, and you are well aware that the international community stated on various occasions that the ball is in Turkey's court.

In addition to what the Turks say and hear themselves what they say, they should listen to what the international community is talking about. And the international community is saying, I will repeat, that the ball is in Turkey's court
When Turkey is ready for cooperation, welcome the hand extended by Armenia, it will be possible to develop relations.

Question: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated recently, that the legal framework of the Customs Union enables the member-states to undertake joint activities, if one of the member-states suffers economic sanctions, pressures. And he hinted, that it should not be ruled out, that other Customs Union member-states, together with Russia, may possibly impose sanctions on some western states in the foreseeable future. What is Armenia's stance? Thank you.

Answer: I will be short in my answer. This issue has not been touched upon within that framework. When it is discussed, Armenia will express its stance.