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Interfax July 31, 2017

Armenia will continue working on the projects of the Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) despite its upcoming closure, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimian said in a statement on Friday.

"Despite the closure of the office, the Armenian authorities intend to maintain cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe at the high level. We are committed to our OSCE obligations and ready to continue implementing the office's projects in the name of further development of our country," Hovakimian said.

Implementing the office's programs helped strengthen the potential of Armenia's state institutions, advance reforms in areas such as security, the economy, protection of human rights in armed forces, law and judiciary, solve environmental problems and strengthen democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, the deputy minister said.

"The Armenian authorities have shown the political will and a desire to preserve this important document of cooperation with the OSCE, but, despite the efforts of the Armenian side, German and Austrian presidencies, and the member states and the Organization's secretariat, extending the office's mandate proved impossible because of the abuse of the principle of consensus by just one state -Azerbaijan," Hovakimian said.