Ararat Mirzoyan and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu meet in Antalya

On March 12, on the margins of the Antalya Diplomatic forum Foriegn Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with the Foriegn Minister of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports. Minister Mirzoyan thanked Minister Çavuşoğlu for the invitation. The Foriegn Ministers reiterated  their willingness to conduct the process aimed at full normalization and good neighbourly relations between Armenia and Turkey without preconditions. They also agreed that normalisation is needed for the entire region. The two Ministers expressed their support to the works of the Special Representatives of the two countries to that end.

Turkish FM Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu described the meeting as "very constructive and effective." "Steps aimed at full normalization of relations were discussed," he said. According to Turkish "Anadolu" agency, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that Yerevan will make efforts to normalize relations with Ankara. Mirzoyan reaffirmed Armenia's determination "to make efforts to establish peace and stability in the South Caucasus."

On the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan also met with Joseph Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports. The issue of humanitarian situation in Artsakh was touched upon during the meeting. In this regard, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the need for unconditional repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians being held hostage in Azerbaijan and the provision of unimpeded access of international humanitarian structures to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the importance of preservation of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories fallen under the Azerbaijani control. Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and in Nagorno-Karabakh following the ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan, drew the attention of his counterpart to the attempts of the Azerbaijani side to exert psychological pressure against the civilian population in Artsakh and the facts of creating artificial obstacles in the issue of rehabilitation of vital infrastructures.

Azerbaijan has sent a package of five-point proposals to Armenia and is "waiting for a response"

Azerbaijan has sent new proposals to Armenia on normalization of relations and is waiting for its response, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said in an interview with the Anadolu agency. He clarified that "the message is as follows: there is no more factor of occupation, and despite the difficulties of the past, the Azerbaijani side stands for normalization of relations with Armenia". According to Bayramov, "Armenia has not responded to these proposals for a year."

"We have recently sent a new package of proposals to Armenia as a manifestation of goodwill. We have proposed some fundamental principles that include the settlement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Armenia should consider them and respond. If Armenia sincerely wants to settle relations, this is a very good opportunity for them. Armenia's answer will be known soon, and we will take appropriate steps," the Azerbaijani FM said. He clarified that the document, consisting of one page, was recently presented to Armenia. Bayramov also noted that "all the principles mentioned in the document are principles of international relations." One of them is the issue of demarcation between the two countries.

"Azerbaijan has offered to resolve these issues, but Armenia has always put forward new preconditions. Preconditions for the start of the process are unacceptable. A bilateral cooperation group should be created and start working. There are five main points," Bayramov concluded.

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