The United Kingdom doesn’t view the Nagorno Karabakh conflict as resolved and needs to see a complete peace settlement reached as quickly as doable, on the idea of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ Basic Principles, the UK Ambassador to Armenia H.E. John Gallagher stated in an interview with ARMENPRESS performed on the event of the thirtieth anniversary of the institution of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United Kingdom.
Speaking in regards to the historical past of the Armenian-British relations, the work that was accomplished previously three a long time and the present dynamics, Ambassador Gallagher famous the rising connections in bilateral commerce and the enterprise sector, in cultural and people-to-people hyperlinks, and in supporting inexperienced improvement and impressive approaches to scale back local weather change. He additionally talked about that the UK authorities is at the moment participating with the Armenian authorities to finalise a UK-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement
Aram Sargsyan: Ambassador Gallagher, Armenia and the United Kingdom have 30 years of diplomatic ties. But does this quick interval fully replicate the depth and entire image of the historical past of the relations between our nations? How would you characterize the present-day degree of relations?
Ambassador Gallagher: Thank you for the query. I agree that UK-Armenia relations return a lot additional than the institution of diplomatic relations 30 years in the past. I’m proud that in that interval the UK was one of many first international locations to recognise Armenia’s independence (on the finish of 1991), and was additionally one of the crucial distinguished supporters of the Armenian SSR’s response to the devastating 1988 earthquake – notably when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited in 1990 and formally opened the Lord Byron faculty in Gyumri. We’ve had many ministerial visits since then, most not too long ago when the previous Minister for Europe & Americas Wendy Morton MP visited Yerevan and Vanadzor in February final 12 months. I hope there might be comparable senior visits sooner or later.
But, after all, connections and shared histories between our international locations go far past government-to-government channels. I proceed to be amazed on the variety of distinguished Armenians I meet who studied at UK universities. There are rising connections in bilateral commerce and the enterprise sector, in cultural and people-to-people hyperlinks, and in supporting inexperienced improvement and impressive approaches to scale back local weather change. So I believe there might be many extra alternatives for the UK and Armenia to work collectively over the approaching years to forge even nearer hyperlinks between our peoples and cultures – for the subsequent 30 years and past.
Aram Sargsyan – Mr. Ambassador, might you please current the United Kingdom’s pursuits within the relations with Armenia and on this area typically, and what are the priorities of the Armenian-British ties?
Ambassador Gallagher – The UK-Armenia relationship encompasses engagement throughout a variety of areas, together with help to governance and financial reforms, bilateral commerce, in constructing stronger connections between individuals by way of cultural and academic hyperlinks, and in supporting inexperienced improvement and impressive commitments to scale back local weather change.
I’m happy that we’ve been in a position to help the Government of Armenia’s reform efforts although sharing UK expertise and experience. I consider this has made a optimistic contribution to the spectacular progress Armenia has made on governance and democratisation in recent times.
I’m additionally totally conscious that the final 18 months has been an extremely troublesome time for Armenia due to Covid and the conflict in and round Nagorno-Karabakh. The UK continues to help the work of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the direction of a sustainable peaceable settlement. We have additionally offered funding for UNDP/UNICEF programmes to strengthen stability and resilience in border communities by way of vocational coaching and psychosocial help.
Overall, I’d assess that the UK is making a optimistic contribution to Armenia’s financial and democratic improvement. We will proceed to work carefully alongside authorities, parliament and the enterprise sector to determine areas during which the UK’s expertise could make a optimistic distinction.
Aram Sargsyan – How would you touch upon opinions voiced by some consultants who argue that Armenia and the UK might do significantly better to understand the massive potential, to start with to have a broader authorized base by signing extra agreements and different paperwork (as a substitute of the present 9 or 10 paperwork we’ve now) in strategic spheres and likewise be extra energetic in growing bilateral relations? Or maybe such works are already underway?
Ambassador Gallagher – This is one thing we’re at the moment engaged on, and which I see as an essential precedence for me and my embassy in Armenia. The UK authorities is at the moment participating with the Armenian authorities to finalise a UK-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, encompassing the total breadth of bilateral points. We hope to give you the chance to make additional bulletins on this quickly.
Aram Sargsyan – According to the Department for International Trade of the British Government, the commerce in items and providers (exports and imports) between the UK and Armenia was £64 million ($87 million) in Q2 2020 to Q2 2021. How can Armenia and the UK develop their bilateral commerce? Are there any skilled research or projections on how the 2 international locations might enhance commerce?
Ambassador Gallagher – There is definitely scope to additional develop bilateral commerce between the UK and Armenia. This is one thing we’re actively working in the direction of. Armenia is well-known for its burgeoning IT sector, and we’ve seen optimistic alerts in current months of curiosity by corporations in increasing their operations in each instructions.
Another essential development space is renewable power. The UK is dedicated to supporting clear power, and is at the moment supporting a collaboration with EBRD and the Business Support Office to determine alternatives to combine inexperienced development ideas into enterprise actions in Armenia. This will work in the direction of a number of targets, together with preserving the surroundings, unlocking prospects for greener development and making Armenian companies extra aggressive internationally. UK corporations have additionally engaged with Armenian authorities on grid modernisation and clear power initiatives with Yerevan municipality.
So I believe there are many alternatives for increasing bilateral commerce – on these particular sectors, and extra broadly.
Aram Sargsyan – Are there any occasions deliberate on the event of the thirtieth anniversary of the institution of diplomatic relations? Are high-level visits anticipated within the close to future?
Ambassador Gallagher – We plan on a variety of actions all through 2022 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations. Obviously, the pandemic scenario makes the organisation of any large-scale occasions troublesome on the present second. However, we hope to be ready to go forward with the standard Queen’s Birthday Party occasion in the summertime, which might be an essential alternative to mark the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations. I’m additionally wanting ahead very a lot to the go to of the Scotland soccer group in June, which ought to be a very enjoyable event. As for prime degree visits, I definitely hope there might be alternatives for senior guests to come this 12 months.
Aram Sargsyan – Regarding the regional developments round Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh within the post-war interval: how do you see the great and long-term settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict? In different phrases, what’s the UK’s official stance on this? In this context, how would you touch upon the statements of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev who claims that there “is no Nagorno Karabakh conflict anymore because they have resolved the conflict”. Do you agree with the talked about level that there isn’t any Nagorno Karabakh conflict anymore after the 44-day battle in 2020?
Ambassador Gallagher – The UK place on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not modified. We don’t view the conflict as resolved. The UK desires to see a complete peace settlement on Nagorno-Karabakh reached as quickly as doable, on the idea of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ Basic Principles. We totally help the efforts of the American, French and Russian Co-Chairs and encourage the edges to interact constructively within the negotiation course of.
We strongly encourage additional progress on humanitarian points such as the return of all prisoners of battle and detainees, demining, and investigations into all allegations of human rights violations. It is significant for the area’s future stability and prosperity that ongoing points are resolved by way of a negotiated, peaceable course of.
Aram Sargsyan – How do you assess the negotiation course of by the Russian mediation in the direction of unblocking the transport and financial connections, delimitation and demarcation of state borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan?
Ambassador Gallagher – We do not need any direct oversight of the trilateral working group processes, however we might view progress on delimitation, demarcation and restoring transport and financial connections as a optimistic step. The UK totally helps the event of peaceable relations within the area.
Aram Sargsyan – What is your touch upon the brand new spherical of Armenian-Turkish dialogue in the direction of normalization, the primary assembly of which was held in Moscow on 14 January 2022. What type of function might the UK play on this course of as an essential actor in worldwide relations?
Ambassador Gallagher – Similar to the earlier query, the UK will not be a part of the negotiations course of, however we might view positively any progress in the direction of Armenia-Turkey normalisation. From what has been reported, each side already seem to be taking optimistic steps in the direction of re-engagement. I consider that actions that allow extra contact and cooperation between the individuals of each international locations are an excellent factor and that open borders supply better alternatives for each international locations to realise their potential.
Interview by Aram Sargsyan