Greek FM welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan Joint Statement in call with Armenian counterpart Mirzoyan

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, in a phone conversation with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on Friday, welcomed a Joint Statement issued by Armenia and Azerbaijan in which the two sides agreed to a mutual release of prisoners of war and other confidence-building measures aiming to normalise their relations.

Gerapetritis also told the Armenian foreign minister that Greece supports the efforts to achieve permanent peace in the South Caucasus.
In addition, they discussed the latest developments in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Gerapetritis briefed Mirzoyan on the results of the Greece-Turkiye High-Level Cooperation Council on Thursday.

The Armenian foreign minister thanked Gerapetritis for Greece's support and welcomed the progress in Greek-Turkish relations as a development that will have a positive impact on broader regional stability, the foreign ministry said. Mirzoyan also invited Gerapetritis to Yerevan, with the latter accepting the invitation and saying that the visit would be arranged through diplomatic channels.

The two foreign ministers are also to meet in Brussels on Monday on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which, at Greece's request, will be preceded by an informal breakfast of the EU foreign ministers with the Armenian minister as an official guest.

In this context, Gerapetritis stressed the importance Greece places on addressing the displaced population's humanitarian needs and promoting an institutional dialogue between the EU and Armenia.

He added that Greece is making an active contribution to both issues while supporting the continuation of efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.

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