Statement by Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan at the 1548th Special Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in response to the address by the Chairperson-in-Office Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis

15 January, 2026

Mr. Chairperson,

The delegation of Armenia warmly welcomes the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, to the Permanent Council and thanks him for presenting the priorities of the Swiss Chairpersonship.

Difficult times call for resolute leadership. It comes as no surprise to us that Switzerland has undertaken this role, given its longstanding contribution to international affairs and international law.

For the Chairpersonship’s efforts to succeed, it requires the principled and continued endorsement and trust of participating States, particularly in our consensus-based organization. The support extended to Switzerland in assuming a leadership role in the OSCE should therefore translate into confidence in its actions. In this regard, the Chairperson-in-Office can count on Armenia’s support.

We appreciate the Swiss Chairpersonship’s focus on enhancing the OSCE’s ability to act more effectively. In light of current realities, this is undoubtedly a challenging task, however, it is a discussion we cannot avoid. Ignoring this challenge would call into question the future relevance of the Organization itself. As is well known, acknowledging a problem is a prerequisite for addressing it.

The core problem does not lie in the OSCE’s principles, commitments, or even its toolbox, but rather in their application amid rapidly changing geopolitical realities that affect multilateralism as a whole. The OSCE does not operate in a vacuum. At the same time, the Organization exists precisely to facilitate collective efforts to find common solutions to shared challenges. As the Chairperson-in-Office has just indicated the OSCE is designed for dangerous times, never for easy.

Furthermore, the current state of affairs should not prevent us from updating, within the scope of our commitments, the OSCE’s toolbox to address modern risks and threats. We should strive to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies and make full use of them in developing innovative solutions that serve the objectives of the Organization. We therefore welcome the attention the Chairperson-in-Office has given to these efforts.

We also appreciate that Switzerland has included multilateralism among its priorities. Armenia remains a firm supporter of multilateralism and is convinced that multilateral diplomacy offers effective responses to the pressing challenges facing the international order. Dialogue and cooperation over confrontation, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and diplomacy instead of the use or threat of force have guided this Organization since its inception.

We agree that when diplomacy seems impossible, it becomes indispensable. It was through sustained diplomatic engagement that Armenia and Azerbaijan were able to initial a Peace Agreement and adopt a Joint Declaration in Washington, D.C., in August 2025, and have since continued working to strengthen peace through various initiatives, including in the areas of trade and connectivity. While Armenia strongly advocates for the timely signature and ratification of the Peace Treaty, we also sincerely hope that this positive momentum will extend beyond our region and contribute to a more peaceful and secure OSCE area as a whole.

Finally, we concur with the Chairperson-in-Office that preserving democratic space and upholding human rights are indispensable conditions for lasting stability. Fundamental freedoms must remain a constant focus of any Chairpersonship, particularly given that their erosion has often been among the root causes of tensions and conflicts across the OSCE area. In this regard, the OSCE’s well-established early warning and conflict prevention capacities should be fully and comprehensively utilized.

In conclusion, we would like to thank the Finnish Chairpersonship for skillfully guiding the Organization over the past year, and we wish Switzerland every success in its endeavors at the helm of the OSCE.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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