Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan and French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte met today in Yerevan and discussed matters related to expanding Armenia’s participation in U.N. peacekeeping missions and cooperating with France to increase the country’s peacekeeping capabilities.

Tonoyan, according to an Armenian government press release, said it was important for Armenia to expand its cooperation with peacekeepers and deminers from Francophonie countries.

Last week, Tonoyan returned from a trip to New York where he attended a U.N. peacekeeping conference.