Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received UK’s Foreign Office Minister for Europe David Lidington.
Greeting the guest, Minister Nalbandian said: “As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations betweenArmeniaand theUnited Kingdomwe can say that the cooperation between the two countries rests on a solid basis.”
Minister Lidington underlined that theUKviewsArmeniaas a long-tern and valuable partner and his visit is aimed at boosting the cooperation withArmenia.
The Ministers discussed the routes of deepening the cooperation in the commercial-economic, scientific-educational, cultural and other spheres.
The interlocutors stressed the importance the implementation of programs by the UK to support the development of Armenia and the implementation of democratic and economic reforms.
The parties discussed the Armenia-EU cooperation, the programs implemented and the negotiations held within that framework, also as the progressArmeniahas registered on that path.
During the meeting Ministers Nalbandian and Lidington referred to a number of regional and international issues, particularly the developments in the Middle East and the situation aroundIran’s nuclear programs.
The Armenian Foreign Minister presented the current state of negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Reference was made to the damage caused to regional stability and security by the release of murderer Safarov as a result of the Hungarian-Azerbaijani deal. In that context Minister Lidington noted that theUnited Kingdomsupports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. As regards Safarov’s release, the Minister forEuropesaid his country fully supports the provisions of the statements made by the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE Minsk Group.
