On January 11, the newly appointed Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe Arman Khachatryan handed over his credentials to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić.

During the tête-à-tête that followed the ceremony, Arman Khachatryan conveyed Armenian Government’s appreciation of the support provided by the Council of Europe in the conduct of democratic reforms, ensuring the rule of law and protection of human rights. The Permanent Representative reiterated the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to further deepen the agenda of cooperation with the Organization and stressed the importance of the implementation of the Council of Europe-Armenia 2019-2022 Action Plan.

Speaking about the humanitarian consequences of the 44-day war, Arman Khachatryan stressed on the importance of repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees held by Azerbaijan. He also emphasized the importance of guaranteeing an unimpeded access for international organizations to Artsakh and the involvement of relevant Council of Europe bodies. The need for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through negotiations under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship was highlighted.

Congratulating the Permanent Representative on the occasion of his appointment, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić wished him a fruitful tenure and successes in further enhancement and development of relations between Armenia and the Council of Europe.