Foreign relations of Armenia
Since its independence, Armenia has maintained a policy of complementarism by trying to have positive and friendly relations with Iran, Russia, and the West, including the United States and the European Union. It has full membership status in a number of international organizations and observer status, etc. in some others. However, the dispute over the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the recent war over Nagorno–Karabakh have created tense relations with two of its immediate neighbors, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Foreign relations
Armenia is a member of more than 50 different international organizations, including the following:- Asian Development Bank
- Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security Treaty Organization
- Council of Europe
- The EU's Eastern Partnership and the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
- The UN's Eastern European Group
- Eurocontrol
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Eurasian Union
- Eurasian Development Bank and the Eurasian Customs Union
- Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- International Monetary Fund
- Interpol
- La Francophonie
- NATO's Partnership for Peace, Individual Partnership Action Plan and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
- Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
- United Nations
- TRACECA
- World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the World Customs Organization
Armenian Genocide recognition
As of 2020, 32 states have officially recognized the historical events as genocide. Parliaments of countries that recognize the Armenian Genocide include Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela. Additionally, some regional governments of countries recognize the Armenian genocide too, such as New South Wales and South Australia in Australia as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales in the United Kingdom. US House Resolution 106 was introduced on 30 January 2007, and later referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The bill has 225 co-sponsors. The bill called for former President George W. Bush to recognize and use the word genocide in his annual 24 April speech which he never used. His successor President Barack Obama expressed his desire to recognize the Armenian Genocide during the electoral campaigns, but after being elected, has not used the word "genocide" to describe the events that occurred in 1915. The US House of Representatives formally recognized the Armenian Genocide with House Resolution 296 on 29 October 2019. As of 2020, 49 out of 50 US states have also recognized the events as genocide.Disputes
Nagorno-Karabakh and independent republic
Armenia provides political, material and military support to the Republic of Artsakh in the longstanding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against the Azerbaijani government.The current conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 when Armenian demonstrations against Azerbaijani rule broke out in Nagorno–Karabakh and later in Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Supreme Soviet voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia. Soon, violence broke out against Armenians in Azerbaijan and Azeris in Armenia. In 1990, after violent episodes in Nagorno–Karabakh and Azerbaijani cities like Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad, Moscow declared a state of emergency in Karabakh, sending troops to the region, and forcibly occupied Baku, killing over a hundred civilians. In April 1991, Azerbaijani militia and Soviet forces targeted Armenian populations in Karabakh, known as Operation Ring. Moscow also deployed troops to Yerevan. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflict escalated into a full-scale war between the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, supported by Armenia and Azerbaijan. Military action was influenced by the Russian military, which inspired and manipulated the rivalry between the two neighbouring sides in order to keep both under control.
More than 30,000 people were killed in the fighting during the period of 1988 to 1994. In May 1992, Armenian forces seized Shusha and Lachin. By October 1993, Armenian forces succeeded in taking almost all of former NKAO, Lachin and large areas in southwestern Azerbaijan. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions calling for the cessation of hostilities, unimpeded access for international humanitarian relief efforts, and the eventual deployment of a peacekeeping force in the region. Fighting continued, however, until May 1994 at which time Russia brokered a cease-fire between the three sides.
Negotiations to resolve the conflict peacefully have been ongoing since 1992 under the aegis of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The Minsk Group is co-chaired by Russia, France, and the United States and has representation from Turkey, the U.S., several European nations, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite the 1994 cease-fire, sporadic violations, sniper-fire and landmine incidents continue to claim over 100 lives each year.
Since 1997, the Minsk Group co-chairs have presented three proposals to serve as a framework for resolving the conflict. Each proposal was rejected. Beginning in 1999, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia initiated a direct dialogue through a series of face-to-face meetings, often facilitated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The OSCE sponsored a round of negotiations between the presidents in Key West, Florida. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell launched the talks 3 April 2001, and the negotiations continued with mediation by the U.S., Russia and France until 6 April 2001. The Co-Chairs are still continuing to work with the two presidents in the hope of finding a lasting peace.
The two countries are still at war. Citizens of Armenia, as well as citizens of any other country who are of Armenian descent, are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan. If a person's passport shows evidence of travel to Nagorno–Karabakh, they are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In 2008, in what became known as the 2008 Mardakert Skirmishes, Armenia forces and Azerbaijan clashed over Nagorno-Karabakh. The fighting between the sides was brief, with few casualties on either side.
Countries with no diplomatic relations
Armenia does not have diplomatic relations with the following countries :Africa
- Botswana, Lesotho, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Sudan
Asia
- Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Yemen
Europe
- Hungary
North America
- Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago
Oceania
- Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga
Countries with diplomatic relations
Armenia has diplomatic relations with 172 separate entities. These include: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Notes on some of these relations follow:
African Union
- Armenia established diplomatic relations with the African Union on 25 October 2010.
- The African Union Commission hailed the Armenian government's intention to have a representative in the AU, and expressed willingness to develop relations with Armenia.
- The Representative of Armenia to the African Union is located in Cairo, Egypt.
Africa
Americas
Arab League
Armenia was granted Observer Status in the Arab League in 2004 after a Syrian invitation.- Armenia maintains positive relations with most Arab states, with the exception of Saudi Arabia.
- A memorandum on mutual understanding and cooperation between Armenia and the Arab League was signed in January 2005. The agreement promotes intensifying cooperation and the opening of Armenian diplomatic missions in Arab states.
- The Representative of Armenia to the Arab League is located in Cairo, Egypt.
Asia
Europe
| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
See Albania–Armenia relations
| ||
| See Armenia–Austria relations | ||
| See Armenia–Belgium relations | ||
| See Armenia–Bulgaria relations | ||
| See Armenia–Croatia relations | ||
| See Armenia–Cyprus relations | ||
| See Armenia–Czech Republic relations | ||
| See Armenia–Denmark relations | ||
| See Armenia–Estonia relations | ||
| See Armenia–European Union relations and Future enlargement of the European Union | ||
| See Armenia–Finland relations | ||
See Armenia–France relationsFranco-Armenian relations have existed since the French and the Armenians established contact in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and are close to this day. 2006 was proclaimed the Year of Armenia in France.
| ||
| See Armenia–Germany relations | ||
| See Armenia–Greece relationsGreece was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia's independence on 21 September 1991, and one of those that have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. Since the independence of Armenia the two countries have been partners within the framework of international organizations, whilst Greece firmly supports the community programs aimed at further developing relations between the EU and Armenia. Continuous visits of the highest level have shown that both countries want to continue to improve the levels of friendship and cooperation. Greece is, after Russia, the major military partner of Armenia. Armenian officers are trained in Greek military academies, and various technical assistance is supplied by Greece. Since 2003, an Armenian platoon has been deployed in Kosovo as part of KFOR, where they operate as a part of the Greek battalion of KFOR. It is estimated that around 80,000 Armenians live in Greece.
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| — 31 Aug 2012 | See Armenia–Hungary relations
| |
| See Armenia–Italy relations | ||
| See Armenia–Kosovo relations | ||
| See Armenia–Latvia relations | ||
| Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 May 2008. | ||
See Armenia–Lithuania relations
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See Armenia–Montenegro relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 November 2006.
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| See Armenia–Netherlands relations | ||
| See Armenia–North Macedonia relations Both countries established relations on 27 April 1993. | ||
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| See Armenia–Poland relations | ||
| See Armenia–Portugal relations | ||
See Armenia–Romania relations
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See Armenia–Russia relationsArmenia's most notable recent foreign policy success came with 29 August treaty with Russia on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, in which Moscow committed itself to the defense of Armenia should it be attacked by a third party. Russia is the key regional security player, and has proved a valuable historical ally for Armenia. Although it appeared as a response to Aliyev's US trip, the treaty had probably long been under development. However, it is clear from the wider context of Armenian foreign policy that—while Yerevan welcomes the Russian security guarantee—the country does not want to rely exclusively on Moscow, nor to become part of a confrontation between Russian and US-led alliances in the Transcaucasus.
| ||
| See Armenia–Serbia relations | ||
| See Armenia–Spain relations | ||
| See Armenia–Sweden relations | ||
| See Armenia–Switzerland relations | ||
| See Armenia–Ukraine relationsArmenian–Ukrainian relations have lasted for centuries and today are cordial. Relations between Armenia and Ukraine have deflated since Armenia recognized the disputed referendum in Crimea and its subsequent annexation by Russia, and Ukraine has withdrawn its ambassador to Armenia for consultations. The Ukrainian government has asserted that this is temporary and that diplomatic relations between the two states shall indeed continue. | ||
| See Armenia–United Kingdom relations |