This year marks important anniversaries: Armenian Genocide Centennial, 70th anniversary of the Holocaust, 70th anniversary of the end of the WWII, 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Charter and the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, Armenia’s FM Edward Nalbandian said at the reception dedicated to the 40th anniversary of signing the Helsinki Final Act.

According to him, the Conference convened in Helsinki in 1975 was unique in that it brought to a common table not the winners and losers, but the heads of those states and people, who aim “to contribute in Europe to peace, security, justice and cooperation”, as mentioned in the preamble to the Act.

Although the Conference didn’t put an end to wars, in Nalbanian’s words, it proposed a new model of pan-European peace, which was based on the cooperation of the member states and security on the one hand, and protection of human right on the other.

“Implementing its commitments in the OSCE framework, Armenia is one of the active members of the Organization. Close cooperation with the OSCE institutions have also been established by the office in Yerevan, which is currently the only complete OSCE representation in the South Caucasus. This is per se indicative of Armenia’s treatment to the international cooperation and the current situation in the region.

The Helsinki Final Act was signed by 35 states in 1975. Currently, the OSCE is an organization involving 57 member-states. This significant growth of the OSCE family is due to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, specifically the implementation of the peoples right to self-determination,” Nalbandian said.