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Armenia, Pakistan decide to establish diplomatic relations

YEREVAN, August 31. /TASS/. Armenia and Pakistan have decided to establish diplomatic relations, the Armenian foreign ministry said after a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia and Ishaq Dar of Pakistan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China.

"The sides noted with satisfaction the decision to establish diplomatic relations between Armenia and Pakistan and discussed prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation," it said.

"Touching upon regional developments, Ararat Mirzoyan briefed the Pakistani side on Armenia’s efforts toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus and hailed in this context the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan," it added.

The two top diplomats signed a communique on establishing diplomatic relations between their countries.

Over the period of its independence, Armenia has had no diplomatic relations with Pakistan due to Islamabad’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Moreover, Armenia’s national security doctrine described Pakistan as a threat to the country’s security.

After Armenia and Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers initialed a peace treaty in Washington on August 8, the sides announced the establishment of peace in the region.