Relación bilateral: Comunicados de Armenia y Uruguay.

27th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Armenia and Uruguay

In the framework of the 27th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Uruguay, the Foreign Ministries of both nations issued press releases highlighting the history and current status of this bilateral relationship.

«Uruguay and Armenia also share a strong commitment to international peace and security, based on the principles of peaceful dispute resolution excluding the use or threat of force, territorial integrity of states, and the right of peoples to self-determination,» the statement issued by the South American country’s foreign ministry states.

Al menos siete detenidos por una protesta contra la demarcación fronteriza en Armenia

Additionally, the Armenian statement expresses: «It is worth noting with satisfaction that the Armenian community, established in Uruguay after the Armenian Genocide, plays an important role in Armenian-Uruguayan relations. In the process of recognizing the Genocide, Uruguay took on a pioneering role, thus demonstrating its adherence to universal values.»

Consulate General Opening and Community Response

The recent opening of the Consulate General of Uruguay in Yerevan is another testament to the excellent relationship between both countries and a further step in continuously strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between their peoples, as explained in the Uruguayan statement.

Following this, the Armenian community in Uruguay issued a joint statement celebrating the anniversary.

Armenia y Azerbaiyán inician los trabajos de demarcación de su frontera

«Historically, since 1965 when Uruguay became a pioneer in the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Uruguayan people and authorities have been the best interpreters of the wishes for Justice, Freedom, and Peace of the Armenian people, thus earning the unanimous recognition of the Armenian people and the international community for Uruguay’s principled positions,» the statement reads.

«Our community will continue to work fervently to contribute to the peace and security of the population of the South Caucasus, and for the international recognition of the inalienable right of the inhabitants of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) to freely and sovereignly determine their destiny.»

The full statement can be found here:

Concierto político en la Asociación Cultural Armenia

27th Anniversary Commemoration

On May 27th, the Foreign Ministries of Uruguay and Armenia commemorated the 27th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries through the publication of statements expressing friendship and mutual respect, stemming from the fraternity between the Uruguayan and Armenian peoples. As a collective of Uruguayan citizens of Armenian descent, the Armenian community celebrates this anniversary and has been actively and constructively working for over a century to strengthen these bonds of friendship and solidarity, as expressed in both statements. The position outlined in these statements aligns with the principles set forth by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, an internationally recognized mediation body for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, regarding the simultaneous and equal application of the principles of:

• Self-determination of peoples and equal rights
• Territorial integrity
• No use or threat of force

In recent weeks, various current events have highlighted Azerbaijan’s xenophobic policy against Armenians in different parts of the world. With a focus on the security of the 140,000 inhabitants of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), predominantly Armenian, we wish to emphasize:

1. Independence of the Republic of Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh: In September 1991, the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh declared their independence within the Soviet constitutional framework through a referendum, exacerbating the armed conflict between the Azerbaijani army and the local population.
2. Vulnerability of the civilian population and violations of the ceasefire: Despite international efforts to resolve this dispute peacefully within the OSCE Minsk Group framework, and the ceasefire agreement signed by all three parties 25 years ago, Azerbaijan persists in its goal to subjugate and exterminate Armenians in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). This is evidenced by the ongoing attacks on civilians and border villages, as well as the large-scale attack in April 2016, during which Armenian civilians who were unable to evacuate from their ancestral homes were killed. The threat of new hostilities and the constant incitement to hatred against Armenians by the Azerbaijani government includes the presidential declaration of a national hero to the murderer of an Armenian lieutenant with whom he shared an OTAN course in Hungary (whom he decapitated with an ax while he slept), and the decoration by President Ilham Aliyev of an officer who posed on social media with the head of an Armenian soldier, killed during the 2016 clashes.
3. Cooperation between Uruguay and Nagorno-Karabakh: Months before the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Uruguayan Chamber of Representatives expressed support for its right to self-determination and condemned the terrible attacks suffered by Azerbaijan (Declaration of 2/7/1991). Since then, in addition to the Legislative Branch, Uruguay’s balanced position, favorable to a peaceful solution to the conflict, has been consistently expressed from the Executive Branch, in documents and ministerial statements, press releases from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joint statements by the Presidents of Armenia and Uruguay, and supporting the position of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (France, the United States, and the Russian Federation) at the United Nations General Assembly. Uruguayan legislators from all political parties have had the opportunity to visit the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and contribute to its democratic strengthening, participating as observers during presidential elections and constitutional referendums. In a commendable example of technical cooperation, Uruguayan professionals and teachers from the Ceibal Plan trained their counterparts in Artsakh in the implementation of a similar plan. Presidents, foreign ministers, and deputies from the Republic of Artsakh have visited our country on numerous occasions, being warmly and solidarity received by legislators, authorities, and academics, as was the case last April during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Artsakh, Masis Mayilyan.

Historically, since 1965 when Uruguay became a pioneer in the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Uruguayan people and authorities have been the best interpreters of the wishes for Justice, Freedom, and Peace of the Armenian people, thus earning the unanimous recognition of the Armenian people and the international community for Uruguay’s principled positions. Our community will continue to work fervently to contribute to the peace and security of the population of the South Caucasus and for the international recognition of the inalienable right of the inhabitants of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to freely and sovereignly determine their destiny. As Uruguayan citizens, proud of our country’s trajectory and prestige, we are determined to redouble our work in those areas of common interest for the Armenian and Uruguayan peoples and to continue deepening the bonds of friendship and fruitful exchange between our peoples.

Montevideo, June 4, 2019.