President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan had a phone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon at the initiative of the latter.
The UN Secretary General said he regrets the delay of the visit to Armenia due to unforeseen circumstances.
Ban ki-Moon attached importance to the process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict and expressed his full support to the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
Noting that the Armenian society had long been waiting for the UN Secretary General’s visit, President Sargsyan voiced hope his visit would be organized within new mutually agreed terms.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to convey his sincere apologies to the president and people of Azerbaijan for the postponement of his visit to Baku.
"I wish to convey my sincere apologies to Your Excellency and, through you, to the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan for having had to postpone my visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as my visits to Georgia and the Republic of Armenia," he said.
Ban Ki-moon noted in his letter that over the past ten years, the Alliance of Civilizations has become a valued platform to advance mutual respect and tolerance amongst, as well as within, nations.
"Thanks to your personal vision and leadership, the 7th Global Forum of the Alliance will skilfully chart its future course," he said. "I had been very much looking forward to addressing the Global Forum with you, in person, and hope that I may be able to join you via video conference."
"During my visit, I had also envisaged discussing with you and others in the region, how the United Nations could best support you and the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in peacefully resolving the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh," Ban Ki-moon said.
"I do hope you will understand that global crises require my presence in New-York during this particular period," said the UN Secretary General. "Unfortunately, emergencies sometimes interfere with the best of our intentions and previous commitments as political leaders."
"I hope that we will find another mutually convenient time for a visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan before the end of my tenure," he added.
"Please accept, Excellency, my apologies as well as the assurances of my highest consideration," Ban Ki-moon said in his letter.
