Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hosted UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the Government, Armenian Government’s press office reported. The UN Secretary-General arrived in Armenia to participate in the Leaders' Summit, held within the framework of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Yerevan.
The Prime Minister welcomed the visit of the delegation led by António Guterres, noting that he is the second UN Secretary-General to visit Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan highlighted the importance of the joint work carried out over the past eight years, observing that significant developments have taken place in the region and the world during this period. The Prime Minister noted that the role of the UN has been at the heart of various discussions, and the importance of multilateralism has been a constant topic in the international arena. "It seems that many international players are very eager to have that multilateralism, having in mind the role of the UN. Yet, unfortunately, we observe unilateralism in many places, and the global situation is becoming increasingly complicated.
Fortunately, in our own region, passing through very difficult events, we have managed to vhange the situation, and our main goal now is to reach the final milestone. I mean the signing and ratification of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That is our primary goal, and we need to focus on it, because achieving it is not easy, but, at the same time, we need to remain as focused as possible on that objective," said Nikol Pashinyan.
Referring to COP-17, the Prime Minister noted that it is the largest event ever organized in the Republic of Armenia, and expressed confidence that it will be conducted at a high level.
For his part, António Guterres expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality and the excellent organization of the COP-17 conference. "I would like to congratulate Armenia, as this conference has been extremely well organized. My colleagues tell me that reaching a statement or agreement during negotiations is always difficult. Armenia has demonstrated extraordinary diplomatic capacity, making miracles by bringing together diverse opinions and perspectives. In all the areas where COP operates—biodiversity, climate—the quality of Armenian leadership and diplomacy truly remarkable," said the UN Secretary-General. At the same time, António Guterres underscored the importance of establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, highlighting Prime Minister Pashinyan’s personal contribution to this endeavor.
During the meeting, the interlocutors exchanged views on the upcoming COP 17 conference and the discussions set to take place. They also addressed regional developments, including the progress of the TRIPP project. Both sides emphasized the significance of this project in terms of unblocking regional communication routes and fostering cooperation.
