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U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue Capstone statement released

11 June 2024 23:30 (UTC +04:00)

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the Republic of Armenia and United States of America on the occasion of the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue Capstone meeting, APA reports citing website of US State Department.

Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan hosted Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia James C. O'Brien and an interagency government delegation for the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue (USASD) Capstone meeting, which took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on June 11, 2024. During the Capstone meeting, Armenia and the United States reviewed progress on strengthening bilateral relations and outlined a vision for deepening ties in the coming year, to be formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding, to upgrade the status of our bilateral dialogue to a Strategic Partnership Commission. We look forward to outlining the specific lines of effort to deepen our relations in the coming months. The sides positively assessed cooperation to support Armenia's ongoing reforms and democratic progress and noted Armenia's aspirations for closer cooperation with Euro-Atlantic institutions and the West. The United States reiterated its support for Armenia's sovereignty, independence, democracy, and territorial integrity, in line with the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration.

The delegations reviewed joint efforts to promote mutual prosperity and economic and energy resilience through closer cooperation, taking note of the important conversations on these topics that took place during the Joint EU-U.S.-Armenia High Level Meeting on April 5, 2024, in Brussels. Noting that U.S.-Armenia trade turnover has already quadrupled since 2020, the sides committed to continue to expand commercial and trade ties to the greatest extent possible. The sides discussed increasing cooperation on sanctions and export controls. They also reviewed options for export licensing to facilitate more trade in advanced technology items. Discussion also focused on promoting Armenia's food security and energy independence, including work already being done to identify U.S. commercial solutions in nuclear energy and renewables. USAID intends to support Armenia to develop a transport strategy to underpin Armenia's vision of the "Crossroads of Peace," encouraging and strengthening regional trade and connectivity through a just and durable peace. This peace will unlock the entire region's potential and bring substantial benefits for all people in the region.

Capstone meeting participants acknowledged the important role of U.S. assistance to Armenia's defense transformation and law enforcement development initiatives, which the United States intends to continue to support through advisory programs, military-to-military contact activities, professional military education opportunities through the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, and the long-standing State Partnership Program with the Kansas National Guard.

Both sides emphasized the importance of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law and pledged to work together in this regard. The United States and Armenia reaffirmed their commitment to shared democratic values and to the goal of an Armenia that is democratic, prosperous, and peaceful.