Meeting with Mirzoyan

On October 14, a one-on-one meeting was held between Ararat Mirzoyan, the Armenian Foreign Minister, and Elina Valtonen, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister, at the Armenian Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the sides discussed regional developments, after which an expanded-format session took place, followed by a joint press conference.

At the briefing, Mirzoyan commented on the development of the TRIPP project, describing it as a section of the railway passing through southern Armenia. He noted that he had discussed the full spectrum of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Sharm el-Sheikh the previous day, including issues related to the unblocking of infrastructure. The minister emphasized that the process of unblocking would be guided by key principles—territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, sovereignty, jurisdiction of states, and reciprocity—applicable to all routes, including the TRIPP section. Technical discussions with the American side were ongoing, and, according to Mirzoyan, "What has been published has been agreed upon now. The rest will be clarified, agreed upon with all parties, and announced." He added that a joint Armenian-American company would handle the maintenance once the final decision was made.

At the same press conference, Mirzoyan stated that Armenia was making serious efforts to ensure the integration of displaced persons into Armenian society, allowing them to "resume their lives in the Republic of Armenia." Responding to a question about Baku’s conditions for signing a peace treaty, Mirzoyan confirmed that these included the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and amendments to the Armenian Constitution. He remarked, "As you correctly noted, the Minsk Group issue has essentially been resolved; there is a political solution, and the technical issues will be resolved by December. Regarding the Constitution, I consider it necessary to note that, as before, such an issue is not on the agenda." He underscored that constitutional changes were an internal matter to be decided solely by the Armenian people and stressed that "Armenia has never made such commitments. This is a domestic issue. Yes, Azerbaijan continues to link it and point to it as a condition. We do not accept this link."

Mirzoyan also voiced hope for the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that, despite the ongoing peace process, the issue of detainees and hostages remained unresolved. "Work is being carried out daily, not always visible and not always effective. But we are working. As always, I want to express hope for good news. We are continuing our efforts," the minister stated, noting that he discussed the issue with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Sharm el-Sheikh. He further highlighted the importance of third-country involvement in facilitating information exchange about prisoners, especially following the suspension of the ICRC’s activities in Azerbaijan. "This gap needs to be filled. In general, our work does not exclude contacts with third countries, but first and foremost, these are direct contacts with the Azerbaijani side," he emphasized.

Elina Valtonen, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister, announced that the OSCE Minsk Group would officially cease to exist by December 1. Speaking at the joint press conference in Yerevan, she reaffirmed her full support for the normalization process between Yerevan and Baku and noted the "extremely important steps taken on August 8 in Washington." Valtonen stated that the decision to dissolve the Minsk Group was made jointly by Armenia and Azerbaijan, adding that the OSCE would continue its cooperation with Armenia in several areas. "An important peace process is underway and promising steps must be continued," she stated, reaffirming the OSCE’s readiness to facilitate this process.

Valtonen commended the Armenian authorities’ openness toward engaging with civil society, describing it as "the foundation of democracy, so that citizens can make decisions and choose." She expressed optimism for expanding cooperation with Armenia in the fields of economics, peace, and prosperity. Responding to a question about the upcoming dissolution of the Minsk Group, Valtonen clarified that the OSCE’s future cooperation would focus on economic, environmental, and climate-related issues.

At the press conference, Mirzoyan noted that Valtonen’s visit came amid new regional circumstances following the Washington summit on August 8, which marked a significant milestone in peace efforts. He briefed his counterpart on the initialing of the peace document and progress in reopening regional communications. Mirzoyan emphasized Armenia’s commitment to strengthening its cooperation with the OSCE, particularly in economic and environmental areas, and expressed Yerevan’s desire to see the organization "as a strong and effective body," supported by member states in the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act. Both ministers also discussed bilateral relations between Armenia and Finland, welcoming a new stage of cooperation marked by recent high-level exchanges. Mirzoyan renewed his invitation to Valtonen to visit Armenia in her capacity as Finnish Foreign Minister. The discussions additionally covered Armenia’s relations with the EU, the country’s European integration process, and preparations for the European Political Community summit to be held in Yerevan in May next year. Valtonen highlighted the importance of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) format as a valuable platform for cooperation with Armenia, noting that it focuses on security and countermeasures and brings together several EU and NATO members. "To be a sovereign state, in which outside interference is impossible," Valtonen stated, emphasizing the importance of transparent governance as the cornerstone of democracy.

Meeting with Pashinyan

On October 14, Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, received Elina Valtonen, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister. During the meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted the effective cooperation with the OSCE, noting that an active dialogue had been established over the past years, and stressed the importance of strengthening the OSCE’s role to ensure security and stability in its area of responsibility. Valtonen congratulated Armenia on the establishment of peace with Azerbaijan, expressing confidence that it would contribute to a stable future for Armenia and enhance regional cooperation.

The interlocutors discussed the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, the continuation of the demarcation process, and other regional developments. They also exchanged views on the advancement of Armenia-European Union relations. Prime Minister Pashinyan underscored the EU’s consistent support for strengthening democracy and promoting reforms, emphasizing that adopting EU standards across various sectors remains a primary priority for the Armenian government. In this context, they addressed issues including the fight against corruption, civil society development, improvements to the business environment, and ongoing reforms in other areas. Pashinyan and Valtonen also discussed the further development of Armenia-Finland relations, focusing on opportunities to promote business ties and attract investments. Both parties emphasized the importance of organizing high-level mutual visits to strengthen bilateral cooperation.