On February 27, within the framework of a working visit, Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan, accompanied by Ambassador Karen Nazaryan, met with Stanisław Wachowski, the Undersecretary for the Relations with States and international organizations of the Holy See.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the traditionally warm bilateral relations anchored on Christian values, historical and cultural ties. Paruyr Hovhannisyan emphasized the principled approaches adopted by the Holy See, and particularly, the High Priest of Rome, in overcoming the challenges that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are facing.

Following the official visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia to the Vatican last October, the sides also discussed the possibilities of expanding cooperation on multilateral platforms, based on the similar approaches of Armenia and the Holy See to some international issues, including the protection of religious and cultural heritage.

Paruyr Hovhannisyan briefed his interlocutor on Armenia's positions aimed at establishing peace in the region, the dire humanitarian situation resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, stressing the importance of the recent decision of the International Court of Justice and its immediate implementation by Azerbaijan.

On the same day, the Deputy Minister participated in the commemoration ceremony of Grigor Narekatsi's Memorial Day organized by the Embassy of Armenia in the Holy See in St. Peter's Cathedral of the Vatican and laid a wreath at his statue in the Vatican gardens.

Within the framework of the visit, Paruyr Hovhannisyan was received by Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor (Foreign Minister) of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. During the meeting, initiatives aimed at solving humanitarian issues were discussed and both sides highlighted the role and importance of the humanitarian diplomacy of the Order of Malta in mitigating the consequences of conflicts.

Deputy Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan also met Raphael Petros Minasyan, the Catholicos-Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia in Rome.