Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of Mrs. Lahbib’s visit to our country and expressed confidence that it will give a new impetus to the further development and strengthening of Armenian-Belgian relations. Nikol Pashinyan welcomed the decision of the Belgian government to open an embassy in Armenia, which will contribute to the expansion of cooperation not only in the political, but also in the economic and cultural spheres, as well.
According to Hadja Lahbib, despite the intense bilateral relations, no Belgian Foreign Minister has visited Armenia in the last eight years, and the purpose of his visit is to give new energy to Armenian-Belgian relations, including in the field of economy and investments. He added that among Belgian businessmen there is a great interest in implementing investment projects in Armenia and deepening business ties.
The interlocutors referred to the developments taking place in the region, in particular, the deepening of the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister emphasized that the purpose of Azerbaijan’s actions is to carry out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nikol Pashinyan highlighted the urgent discussions held in the UN Security Council regarding the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the appropriate response of international partners to Azerbaijan’s steps.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to take active steps to change Azerbaijan’s way of action. At the same time, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the need for consistency in the implementation of the agreements reached so far in the negotiation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium emphasized his country’s support for the position of the European Union, according to which Azerbaijan should ensure the free movement of people and goods through the Lachin Corridor and implement the decision made by the UN International Court of Justice.
