On November 13, Armenia and the United Kingdom launched a Strategic Dialogue process aimed at increasing cooperation and friendship between the two countries.

The foreign ministers of the two countries met in London that day. According to Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s office, the two ministers discussed a range of global and regional issues of mutual concern, and ways in which Armenia and the UK can work together going forward. These included:

• Governance and rule of law, where through its programming in Armenia the UK is supporting the digitalization and streamlining of public services, the improvement of gender equality in the police force, and will soon begin working to support Armenia’s border management capacities to tackle security and migration issues.
• Armenia-UK defense cooperation, which continues to expand with increased numbers of personnel from the Armenian military and Ministry of Defense, and police (MOIA) personnel receiving English Language training instruction, as well as places on UK senior and junior command and leadership courses, and multi-national peace-keeping and mine-awareness packages. Both parties looked forward to the sixth round of Armenia-UK Staff Talks later this month.
• Trade and economic ties, notably the recently held Armenia-UK Business Forum in London, where Armenia’s Minister for the Economy, Vahan Kerobyan and the Minister of State for Regulatory Reform, Earl of Minto welcomed an audience of Armenian and British businesses to discuss the wide range of trade and investment opportunities between our countries.

The Ministers agreed on the absolute necessity of the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus based on the mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders on the basis of the Alma Ata 1991 Declaration, and the opening of regional connectivity links based on full respect of each countries' sovereignty and jurisdiction.  

Minister for Europe emphasized the UK’s commitment to supporting those affected by the long-running conflict, including through £1 million of funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross announced in September.

Finally, both parties looked forward to continuing to enhance the relationship between Armenia and the UK beyond this inaugural Strategic Dialogue, including through the upcoming visit by the Minister for Europe to Armenia, and through the agreement of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which we collectively hope to conclude in the coming months.