According to a joint statement issued by the parties following the first session on November 13, it was “an opportunity to mark the strong cooperation and friendship between our two democracies.”
“With the increase globally in threats to democratic values, human rights, rule of law and the freedoms we strive to protect our citizens, working together on issues of mutual concern։ it is more important than ever not only to build trade and stability, but also to protect our shared core values. We reaffirmed the aspiration to build our partnership over the coming years,” the statement said.
Among the ways in which Armenia and the UK can work together in the future the parties indicated several major areas, including governance and rule of law, defense cooperation, trade and economic ties.
According to the statement, the UK “will soon begin working to support Armenia’s border management capacities to tackle security and migration issues.”
“[It is] Armenia-UK defense cooperation, which continues to expand with increased numbers of personnel from the Armenian military and Ministry of Defense, and police (Ministry of Internal Affairs) 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,” the statement said.
“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,” it added.
Apart from holding talks with British Minister for Europe Leo Docherty, as part of his November 13-14 visit Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan also attended the inauguration of a new Armenian embassy building in London. Speaking at the ceremony, Mirzoyan described it as a “historic moment.”
“We not only open a building, but lay new foundations for deepening our relations. We are reaffirming our commitments to deepen our political dialogue, our economic ties, our cultural ties,” the Armenian minister said.