Ara Ayvazyan has farewell meeting with foreign ministry staff

YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Armenia's acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Ayvazyan had a farewell meeting today with the staff of the ministry after tendering his resignation letter on May 27.

Ayvazyan said when he agreed to take up this position, it was the most difficult, but at the same time, the easiest decision in his life.

“It was an easy decision, because we owe our victims, (who fell in the 44-day war last autumn in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone), we owe our country. It was difficult, because I  understood and realized well what a huge responsibility it was , because we had no right to be wrong. We had no right to take a step that our people, our history would not forgive us in the future,” he said.

Ayvazyan recalled that when taking office, he stated that the Armenian diplomacy was not defeated.

“Many disagree with me, but during this time all of us - here and at the embassies - have proved that we were not defeated. We are able to promote our state and national interests, to mark the red lines,” he said.

According to Ayvazyan, the international partners understood that Armenia, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the Armenians were not defeated.

“Our enemies also understood that. And it is no less important that in these troubling days we have become a structure that has become understandable to our society, our voice has become more and more audible, and our people are trusting us more than ever,” he stressed.

Speaking about his resignation, Ayvazyan said that it was very difficult for him to make this decision, adding that when he took office, there was one criterion for him.

“This ministry, which is the brainchild of independence, must unswervingly defend our sovereignty, our independence, our state and national interests. My decision to resign was due precisely to this reason, so that there is no any doubt that this ministry could take any step or agree to any ideas, initiatives that run counter to our statehood, our national and state interests,'  he said.

Summing up, Ayvazyan said: “A diplomat is usually perceived as a person who adapts to the situation, makes peace, avoids sharp corners. I believe that in these difficult times we do not have the right to act that way and among us - I am more and more confident of this - there are principled diplomats who will become a reference point for our society,” he said. -0-