Armenia, Netherlands Sign Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership

YEREVAN — On March 12 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Caspar Veldkamp signed a Joint Declaration օn the Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the Netherlands.

“The signing of this document raises the relations of the two countries to a new and binding level, which will promote multifaceted cooperation,” Minister Mirzoyan said at a joint conference with his Dutch counterpart.

“This is not just another visit on the path of developing our relations. Today we are stepping into a new stage of partnership,” Mirzoyan said.

“The document embraces various aspects such as reinforcement of political and economic relations, infrastructure, deepening of cooperation in cybersecurity, including fight against hybrid challenges, reinforcement of democratic institutions, promotion of supremacy of justice and rule of law, as well as people-to-people contacts,” the Foreign Minister said.

Strategic Partnership Framework

1: Political Dialogue

1. The Republic of Armenia and the Netherlands, hereafter “the signatories”, decide to enhance their political dialogue, grounded in mutual respect and shared values, including democracy, rule of law and human rights.
2. The signatories envisage to hold regular consultations at political and diplomatic levels, ensuring open channels of communication to address common priorities and concerns.
3. The signatories decide to continue working together on strengthening democracy, rule of law and human rights in Armenia, including through the MATRA and Human Rights programme.

(…) 2: Regional and International Cooperation

2. Efforts will continue to achieve a fair and lasting peace in the South Caucasus, based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, the non-use of force or threat of force, and the inviolability of internationally recognized borders, as enshrined by the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
3. Stressing the importance to further deepen the Armenia-EU partnership, the signatories will continue to support and advocate for the effective implementation of the provisions of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), including in the field of economic cooperation.

(…) 3: Economic Cooperation and Infrastructure

6. The signatories will enhance cooperation to promote regional and international trade and transport connectivity, to which Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” project has the potential to contribute.