SECRETARY BLINKEN: Please, have a seat. Good afternoon, everyone.
First, let me just say on a personal level what a pleasure it is to receive my friend, the foreign minister. We’ve worked together a lot these past few years, and he is and he’s been a wonderful, wonderful colleague, a wonderful partner.
And I think it’s fitting that we’re able to come together today, because this marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the United States and Armenia. We’re establishing our U.S.-Armenia Strategic Partnership Commission. This commission gives us a framework to expand our bilateral cooperation in a number of key areas: economic matters, security and defense, democracy, justice, inclusion, and people-to-people exchanges. Each of these is a shared interest that forms the bedrock of our relationship and our partnership.
Over these recent years, we have been able to work together, among other things, but significantly, on our economic relationship and on our economic cooperation. We’ve expanded cooperation across the economies. We’ve done that on energy and we’re now poised to begin negotiations on a 123 Agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation, and this is genuinely a milestone. I think it underscores a couple of things: a mutual dedication that we have to nuclear nonproliferation standards and advancing nuclear security, but also opening new avenues for our two countries to collaborate on nuclear energy, on science, and on technology.
We’re also working with Armenia in the realm of security and defense, and in particular to support its efforts to assert its independence and sovereignty over its own territory. Next month, in the coming weeks, we will have a Customs and Border Patrol team travel to Armenia to work with their Armenian counterparts on border security capacity building, strengthening security cooperation, enhancing Armenia’s peacekeeping capabilities through exercises like Eagle Partner. We had a bilateral training exercise, Eagle Partner, that’s been done annually for the past two years. All of this is enhancing Armenia’s capacity to be a strong partner as well as to mind its own borders.
I’m also very pleased to announce today Armenia’s intent to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Ararat, you’ll be joining 87 other members to work together for greater stability in the Middle East and well beyond, so we are very, very grateful for that engagement.
On democracy and justice, let me just point out that the Armenian Government has implemented reforms that are demonstrating a real commitment to building an even more just and even more fair society. I recognize in particular the work that Prime Minister Pashinyan has done, his government has done implementing domestic reforms across critical areas, in particular justice and law enforcement.
Last month, here at the department we were very honored to present one of our Anti-Corruption Champion Awards to Justice Galyan for outstanding work in combating corruption. This is a testament to the scope of the reforms that Armenia is pursuing and that she has carried out so effectively.
So in a few moments, after the foreign minister speaks, we’ll have a chance to sign this framework agreement. But again, I just want to underscore that it really lays the foundation for even deeper cooperation, and it builds on our shared principles. We are increasingly strong partners, and I think that is for the good of both of our countries as well as the good of the region and beyond. And this charter, this strategic partnership that we’re signing, will, I think, contribute to a more resilient, a more peaceful, a more secure, a more independent South Caucasus. So I couldn’t be more happy to be able to do this today, and especially to do it with my friend.
Mr. Minister.
FOREIGN MINISTER MIRZOYAN: Thank you very much. Dear Secretary Blinken, colleagues, excellencies, dear friends, the Armenia-United States Strategic Partnership Charter which we are signing today provides a robust framework and injects greater ambition into our cooperation. It spans a wide area of fields, including strengthening economic and energy ties, connectivity, deepening defense and security cooperation, reinforcing democratic institutions, promoting justice and the rule of law, fostering innovation on high technologies, and enhancing people-to-people contacts.
Our relations, based on shared values and mutual interests, have witnessed remarkable growth in recent years. They have matured to a point where upgrading them to a Strategic Partnership is not only fitting but essential for navigating the complex geopolitical landscape. I am especially grateful to your contribution, Mr. Secretary, and your team’s tireless efforts on this journey in elevating our cooperation to this new level. We deeply value the unwavering United States support for Armenia’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Equally important is the United States support for strengthening Armenia’s democratic institutions and promoting economic resilience.
We appreciate the United States engagement in promoting a durable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus region. We believe that a stable and prosperous South Caucasus is in the interest of all regional actors and the broader international community. Armenia remains committed to peace agenda and its implementation, and to working closely with the United States to achieve this shared objective.
In the spirit of shared commitment to global security, I am also happy to announce that Armenia intends to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, further demonstrating our dedication to combating international terrorism. We believe that collective action is essential in addressing this threat. We also commence negotiations on a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States, commonly known as 123 Agreement. It will provide a framework for cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and mark our commitment to peaceful nuclear development under the highest standards of safety, security, and non-proliferation.
Looking ahead, we are eager to continue working with the new United States administration to fulfill the ambitious goals outlined in our Strategic Partnership Charter.
Dear friends, let this charter serve as a testament to the deepening strategic relations between Armenia and the United States, and as a road map for a future filled with shared achievements. Thank you. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Good afternoon. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan are signing a Strategic Partnership Commission Charter between the Government of the United States and the Government of Armenia. The charter sets forth a framework for economic and security cooperation; strengthening democracy, justice, and inclusion; and increasing people-to-people exchanges. Armenia is an essential strategic partner. As the Secretary said, we look forward to continued cooperation.
(The charter was signed.)
SECRETARY BLINKEN: All right.
(Applause.)
