Envoy says Armenia seeks peace despite Artsakh ethnic cleansing

PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 2, a hearing on the necessity of establishing peace in the South Caucasus was held in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. The session was chaired by the committee’s head, Els Van Huff, according to the Armenian Embassy in Belgium.

At the invitation of the committee, Ambassador Tigran Balayan participated and gave a speech. He emphasized that even after the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia extended a hand of peace to Azerbaijan.

“Even after the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia extended a hand of peace to Azerbaijan, offering to close the page of enmity and establish civilized relations through a peace agreement, which will allow cooperation for a stable and prosperous future in the region,” he said.

He highlighted the importance of consistent international support in preventing tensions and implementing Armenia’s constructive proposals.

In his speech, the ambassador thanked the Belgian parliament for continuously following critical issues concerning Armenia, particularly noting that the formation document of the Belgian government includes support for Armenia. In this context, he emphasized the need to expand Armenian-Belgian cooperation, underscoring the significance of the Belgian Embassy’s activities in Yerevan.

Responding to MPs’ questions, Ambassador Balayan comprehensively presented the development of Armenia-EU relations, discussed the “Peace Crossroads” initiative, and also addressed Armenia’s steps towards diversifying its economy.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that the draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has already been agreed upon and is awaiting final signing. He mentioned that he has proposed initiating consultations regarding the signing of the agreed draft with the President of Azerbaijan.

On March 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia announced that it had accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals regarding two unagreed articles and that the Peace Agreement is ready for signing. It was noted that Armenia is ready to begin consultations on the timeline and location for signing the agreement. However, new preconditions have been put forward by Baku, and it was stated that it is still too early to talk about the timing of the meeting.