On December 1, within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Forum in Skopje, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid.

During the meeting, issues of cooperation between the RA and OSCE were discussed. Regarding the fact that the OSCE remains the largest regional security organization, Minister Mirzoyan stressed that it should be able to fulfill its mandate and ensure the equal use of rapid response mechanisms in the organization's territory.

Referring to security issues in the South Caucasus, Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that Azerbaijan, violating the fundamental principles of the OSCE Helsinki Final Act, not only subjected Nagorno Karabakh to complete ethnic cleansing but also continued to undermine the efforts of international mediators aimed at establishing stability in the region. The minister added that such violations, taking place in an atmosphere of impunity, encourage the use of force or the threat of it, and the international community should redouble its efforts to overcome the existing challenges.

Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that Armenia is committed to normalizing relations with Azerbaijan based on internationally known principles; however, to make positive progress, it is essential to involve all regional countries equally and sincerely in implementing the peace agenda. Presenting the "Crossroads of Peace" program in this context, Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that the countries of the South Caucasus and the countries of the wider region can use its advantages.