A written statement by Stephen Doughty, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom, regarding the lifting of the arms embargo on Azerbaijan and Armenia, has been published on the website of the UK Parliament.
The statement reads:
“I would like to inform you about the significant developments in the South Caucasus and the United Kingdom's reaction to the progress in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
On August 8, US President Donald Trump held a trilateral summit in Washington with the participation of Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan. As a result, a peace agreement was initialed and a declaration was signed.
The documents include a call for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and a commitment to ensure communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan while respecting Armenia's sovereignty.
The United Kingdom welcomes the progress achieved. This is an important step towards peace and stability.
In this regard, we are elevating the level of relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan to a strategic partnership in the areas of trade, security, and defense.
From August 24 to 26, I visited both countries to confirm support and discuss practical steps.
We supported the dissolution of the Minsk Group. Considering the progress achieved, we believe that the OSCE's 1992 embargo has lost its relevance. The United Kingdom is completely lifting the arms embargo on Armenia and Azerbaijan. This will help develop cooperation in the field of security and enable countries to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity, including responding to hybrid threats. Export licenses will be reviewed individually based on strict criteria.
We will monitor the situation in the region. We hope that this will pave the way for peace, security, and prosperity in the South Caucasus. The United Kingdom is ready to cooperate with both countries, the US, the EU, and other partners to support these changes and regional stability.” (Source: APA)