Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and current Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), will visit South Caucasus countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia—from October 13 to 15.
This marks her first visit to the region in her capacity as OSCE Chair, Factor.am reports.
“In Armenia and Azerbaijan, our discussions will focus on the normalization of relations between the two countries. Significant progress has been made this year. Finland supports their efforts to achieve lasting peace,” Valtonen stated.
In Georgia, her visit will mainly address the Geneva International Discussions, which pertain to the aftermath of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. The OSCE is one of the co-chairs of this negotiation format.
Valtonen also plans to discuss the current state of civil society in Georgia, highlighting the OSCE’s role in strengthening democracy and security in the region.
On August 8, during a trilateral summit at the White House with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, a Joint Declaration was signed regarding the outcomes of their meeting.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in the presence of their leaders and the U.S. President, pre-signed the “Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.”
