-
visited Armenia and
Azerbaijan this week with engagements focussed around boosting
regional security
- UK opens new Defence Section in Yerevan, Armenia
The UK's partnerships with Armenia and Azerbaijan were boosted
this week as Defence Minister visited the region to discuss
peace, stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus.
The visit by follows the UK's commitment in
the summer to strengthen our relationships with Armenia and
Azerbaijan to Strategic Partnerships, with defence cooperation at
the forefront.
Defence Minister said:
As the threats we face increase, our partnerships are becoming
more important than ever. The UK is working with Azerbaijan and
Armenia to support peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus.
In an increasingly uncertain world, it is partnerships like
these, built on mutual respect and shared values, that will
endure.
This year, the UK appointed its first resident Defence Attachés
to Azerbaijan and Armenia and announced the full lifting of the
UK arms embargo on both countries.
In Azerbaijan, met with His Excellency
President Ilham Aliyev, Minister of Defence of The Republic of
Azerbaijan Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, and the Minister of
Defence Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vugar
Mustafayev. Discussions explored opportunities to further develop
the UK-Azerbaijan defence and security partnership.
attended the graduation
ceremony of a British Military Training Course held at the
Azerbaijan Army Training and Education Centre. Participants of
the intensive four-week course were coached and mentored by
British and Czech instructors in accordance with UK's approach to
‘Defence Train the Trainer Course'.
also visited the Alley of
Martyrs and Commonwealth War Memorial to pay his respects to
those killed by the Soviet Army during Black
January 1990 and in the First Nagorno-Karabakh
War of 1988–1994.
In Armenia, opened the UK's first permanent
Defence Section in Yerevan, demonstrating the UK's long-term
commitment to supporting Armenia's security, sovereignty and
defence capabilities.
Meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Defence Minister
Suren Papikyan, discussed deepening defence
cooperation and supporting Armenia's defence reform and
modernisation efforts.
also paid tribute at the
Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Memorial and visited the Vazgen Sargsyan
Defence Academy, where he met with military instructors and
cadets.