Carney welcomes progress in Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, falls short of addressing outstanding humanitarian issues

(Horizon Media / YEREVAN) – During the 8th European Political Community summit, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed cooperation with Armenia, shared values, and the regional peace process.

Carney welcomed the progress recorded in the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, noting that he encourages efforts toward establishing peace, and also welcomed the participation of the President of Azerbaijan in the summit via remote connection.

In his remarks, the Canadian Prime Minister also emphasized Canada–Europe ties, noting that, as a non-European country, Canada shares historical and value-based commonalities with Europe. He noted that these ties are also reflected through the Armenian community in Canada.

Carney also highlighted cooperation with Armenia within the framework of international missions, noting that Canada participates in the European mission in Armenia as the only non-European country.

At the same time, in his speech, the Canadian Prime Minister did not address a number of key humanitarian issues stemming from the Artsakh conflict, including the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, the protection of Armenian cultural heritage, and the rights of displaced Armenians from Artsakh.

Carney also stated that the world is currently undergoing a period of profound change, highlighting divisions across technological, economic, and geopolitical spheres, and added that such multilateral gatherings are important for finding joint solutions and moving forward.