Pakistan and Armenia formally establish diplomatic relations

TINJIAN/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Armenia on Sunday exchanged documents to formally establish diplomatic relations as both sides vowed to remain committed “to the principles and objectives of United Nations Charter”.

The development comes after US President Donald Trump brokered a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan — a close friend of Pakistan — after decades of hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh dating back to the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar “formally exchanged a Joint Communiqué” with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, “thereby establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries”.

Dar, who is also the foreign minister, and his counterpart Mirzoyan are currently in Tianjin, China, as part of the their respective country’s delegation to attend the SCO Council of Heads of State summit.

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“Marking a historic step forward, both the leaders affirmed their commitment to the principles and objectives of United Nations Charter and discussed possible avenues of cooperation including economy, education, culture, and tourism,” the statement reads.

They also “reaffirmed their desire to work closely with each other at bilateral and multilateral fora, to achieve their shared objectives of peace, progress, and prosperity for the peoples of their two countries.”

REGIONAL PEACE

Also on Sunday, China and Armenia established a strategic partnership as their leaders met in northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday, state media CCTV reported.

China and Armenia should firmly support each other and deepen cooperation in all fields, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

It also coincides with his vision of the grouping, as Xi said on Sunday that the SCO bears “greater responsibility” for safeguarding regional peace and stability, as well as promoting the development and prosperity of its member states.