Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: 1,870 Armenian citizens seek evacuation from foreign states amid pandemic

An estimated 1,870 Armenian citizens in foreign states have applied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting the arrangement of their return home amid the spreading coronavirus pandemic, FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said on Friday.  

Armenia's top diplomat sat down for an interview with the Public Television last night to elaborate on his agency's functions in the face of the global challenge. Noting that the pandemic has universally changed the routine logic of life, Mnatsakanyan said they have so far repatriated 63,322 citizens. In his words, some 1,870 are now registered in 47 states. "We initially appealed to our citizens to end their trips and return to Armenia. Most of them responded [to our request]," he noted.  

Mnatsakanyan added that an estimated 440 people returned from Russia in the past week alone. "We are continuing our work to organize our compatriots' return from the Russian Federation. Ten students from Israel must have crossed Armenia's border, and some 34 from the United States are on their way now. They will get to Tbilisi tomorrow and then will be heading to Yerevan," he added.

The minister admitted that the global pandemic has affected to a certain extent also the peace process over Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). He emphasized, particularly, the suspended monitoring activities by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson -in-Office.

"Yes, there have been ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan, and we immediately reacted to that, using also the direct communication [opportunity]. Unfortunately, we also had three injured persons, of whom one is a 14-year-old child. We addressed that immediately," he added.

Mnatsakanyan further re-emphasized Armenia's priority focus on the steady maintenance of ceasefire. "Though the logic of regular work is in a way disrupted under the current conditions, we do maintain permanent contact with the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. I hope the Azerbaijani side will demonstrate that responsibility - first of all to their own people - as we all know coronavirus has not circumvented anyone. Hence it is more than irresponsible, under the current conditions, to commit violations of the kind. I do really hope that the Azerbaijan will eventually demonstrate that responsibility," the minister said.