Armenia

===Foreign relations===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Armenia}}
{{See also|Armenia–European Union relations|Armenia in the Council of Europe|Armenia–BSEC relations|Armenia–NATO relations|Armenia–OSCE relations|Armenia and the United Nations|Armenia–Russia relations|Armenia–Turkey relations|Armenia–United States relations}}
[[File:Armen Sarkissian with Mike Pompeo.jpg|thumb|U.S. Secretary [[Mike Pompeo]] with Armenian President [[Armen Sarkissian]]]]
Armenia became a member of the [[United Nations]] on 2 March 1992, and is a signatory to a number of its organizations and other international agreements. Armenia is also a member of international organisations such as the [[Council of Europe]], the [[Asian Development Bank]], the [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]], the [[European Political Community]], the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]], the [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]], the [[International Monetary Fund]], the [[World Trade Organization]], the [[World Customs Organization]], the [[Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation]] and [[Organisation internationale de la Francophonie|La Francophonie]]. It is a member of the [[Collective Security Treaty Organisation|CSTO]] military alliance, and also participates in [[NATO]]'s [[Partnership for Peace]] program and the [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council]]. In 2004, its forces joined [[Kosovo Force|KFOR]], a NATO-led international force in [[Kosovo]]. Armenia is also an observer member of the [[Arab League]],<ref name="Armenia">{{cite web| title = Armenia invited as observer for Arab League| publisher = Azad Hye| date = 19 January 2005| url = http://azad-hye.blogspot.ca/2005/01/observer-status-for-armenia-in-arab.html| access-date = 20 May 2014| archive-date = 21 April 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170421002247/http://azad-hye.blogspot.ca/2005/01/observer-status-for-armenia-in-arab.html| url-status = live}}</ref> the [[Organization of American States]], the [[Pacific Alliance]], the [[Non-Aligned Movement]], and a dialogue partner in the [[Shanghai Cooperation Organisation]]. As a result of its historical ties to France, Armenia was selected to host the biennial [[Organisation internationale de la Francophonie|Francophonie summit]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leblanc |first1=Daniel |title=Prime Minister Trudeau has last shot to help Michaëlle Jean stay on as Francophonie leader |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-prime-minister-trudeau-has-last-shot-to-help-michaelle-jean-stay-on-as/ |access-date=9 October 2018 |work=Globe and Mail |date=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009065544/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-prime-minister-trudeau-has-last-shot-to-help-michaelle-jean-stay-on-as/ |archive-date=9 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Armenia has a difficult relation with neighbouring countries [[Armenia–Azerbaijan relations|Azerbaijan]] and [[Armenia–Turkey relations|Turkey]]. Tensions were running high between Armenians and Azerbaijanis during the final years of the [[Soviet Union]]. The [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict]] dominated the region's politics throughout the 1990s.<ref name="CFR-9148">{{cite web |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: The Crisis in the Caucasus |url=https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/nagorno-karabakh-crisis-caucasus |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721165228/http://www.cfr.org/publication/9148/ |archive-date=21 July 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> To this day, Armenia's borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan are under severe blockade. In addition, a permanent solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been reached despite the mediation provided by organizations such as the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]].

Turkey also has a long history of poor relations with Armenia over its refusal to acknowledge the [[Armenian genocide]], even though it was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Armenia (the third republic) after its independence from the USSR in 1991. Despite this, for most of the 20th century and early 21st century, relations remain tense and there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries due to Turkey's refusal to establish them for numerous reasons. During the first Nagorno-Karabakh War, and citing it as the reason, Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993. It has not lifted its blockade despite pressure from the powerful Turkish business lobby interested in Armenian markets.<ref name="CFR-9148"/>

[[File:Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan (2018-05-14) 02.jpg|thumb|left|Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister [[Nikol Pashinyan]].]]
On 10 October 2009, Armenia and Turkey [[Zurich Protocols|signed protocols]] on the normalisation of relations, which set a timetable for restoring diplomatic ties and reopening their joint border.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091010/ts_nm/us_turkey_armenia_9 |title=Armenia and Turkey sign peace deal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014080048/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091010/ts_nm/us_turkey_armenia_9 |archive-date=14 October 2009}}</ref> The ratification of those had to be made in the national parliaments. In Armenia, before sending the protocols to the parliament, it was sent to the Constitutional Court to have their [[constitutionality]] to be approved. The Constitutional Court made references to the preamble of the protocols underlying three main issues.<ref name="iaireport" /> One of them stated that the implementation of the protocols did not imply Armenia's official recognition of the existing Turkish-Armenian border established by the [[Treaty of Kars]]. By doing so, the Constitutional Court rejected one of the main premises of the protocols, i.e. "the mutual recognition of the existing border between the two countries as defined by relevant treaties of international law".<ref name="iaireport">{{cite web |author1=Nona Mikhelidze |title=The Turkish-Armenian Rapprochement at the Deadlock |url=https://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/iai1005.pdf |website=IAI Istituto Affari Internazionali |access-date=2 June 2020 |page=3 |date=5 March 2010 |archive-date=16 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516101433/http://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/iai1005.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of. Turkey and the Republic of Armenia |url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/site_media/html/zurih-protokolleri-en.pdf |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=26 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726083609/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/site_media/html/zurih-protokolleri-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> This was for the Turkish Government the reason to back down from the Protocols.<ref>{{cite web |title=Relations between Turkey and Armenia |url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-armenia.en.mfa |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=26 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726091256/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-armenia.en.mfa |url-status=live }}</ref> The Armenian President had made multiple public announcements, both in Armenia and abroad, that, as the leader of the political majority of Armenia, he assured the parliamentary ratification of the protocols if Turkey also ratified them. Despite this, the process stopped, as Turkey continuously added more preconditions to its ratification and also "delayed it beyond any reasonable time-period".{{citation needed|date=June 2020|reason=Unclear which preconditions were added by Turkey}}

Due to its position between two hostile neighbours, Armenia has close security ties with Russia. At the request of the Armenian government, Russia maintains a [[Russian 102nd Military Base|military base]] in the city of [[Gyumri]] located in Northwestern Armenia<ref name="Armenia-base">
{{cite news
|title=Baku and Moscow – 'One Hundred Percent Strategic Partners'
|publisher=Hetq Online
|date=27 February 2006
|url=http://hetq.am/eng/print/10037/
|access-date=20 April 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701181240/http://hetq.am/eng/print/10037/
|archive-date=1 July 2016
|url-status=dead
}}
</ref> as a deterrent against Turkey.{{citation needed|date=April 2008}} Despite this, Armenia has also been looking toward [[European integration|Euro-Atlantic]] structures in recent years. Armenia maintains positive relations with the United States, which is home to the second largest [[Armenian diaspora]] community in the world. According to the [[United States Census|US Census Bureau]], there are 427,822 [[Armenian Americans]] in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Ancestry Data |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |year=2006 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-date=4 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804222046/http://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }} [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0 The 2001 Canadian Census] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409060848/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0 |date=9 April 2013 }} determined that there are 40,505 persons of Armenian ancestry currently living in Canada. However, these are liable to be low numbers, since people of mixed ancestry, very common in North America tend to be under-counted: the 1990 census US [https://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/language/table5.txt indicates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724134730/https://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/language/table5.txt |date=24 July 2017 }} 149,694 people who speak the Armenian language at home. {{cite web |url=http://www.armembassycanada.ca/diaspora/diaspora6.htm |archive-date=26 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060826182306/http://www.armembassycanada.ca/diaspora/diaspora6.htm |title=The Armenian Embassy in Canada |url-status=dead |access-date=1 June 2016 }} estimates 1&nbsp;million ethnic Armenians in the US and 100,000 in Canada. The Armenian Church of America makes [https://web.archive.org/web/20030202125735/http://www.armenianchurch.org/heritage/history/america.html a similar estimate]. By all accounts, over half of the Armenians in the United States live in California.</ref>

[[File:Dmitry Medvedev at Armenian Genocide memorial-2.jpg|thumb|Russian President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] at the [[Tsitsernakaberd|Armenian Genocide memorial]] in Yerevan]]
Because of the illicit border blockades by Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia continues to maintain solid relations with its southern neighbour Iran, especially in the economic sector. Economic projects are being developed between the two nations, including a gas pipeline going from Iran to Armenia.

Armenia is a member of the Council of Europe and maintains close relations with the [[European Union]]; especially with its [[Member state of the European Union|member states]] France and Greece. In January 2002, the [[European Parliament]] noted that Armenia may enter the EU in the future.<ref>{{Citation | url = https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+REPORT+A5-2002-0028+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN | title = European Parliament on the European Union's relations with the South Caucasus | access-date = 4 October 2020 | archive-date = 2 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200702131223/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FTEXT+REPORT+A5-2002-0028+0+DOC+XML+V0%2F%2FEN&language=EN | url-status = live }}</ref> A 2005 survey reported that 64% of Armenians favored joining the EU,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armeniaforeignministry.am/news/inthenews/050107_eu.html |title=RFE/RL Caucasus Report |publisher=Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs |date=7 January 2005 |access-date=22 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120111039/http://armeniaforeignministry.am/news/inthenews/050107_eu.html |archive-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> a move multiple Armenian officials have voiced support for.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.arminfo.am/political-issue22.html |title=Interview with RA National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan |publisher=ArmInfo News Agency |date=26 October 2005 |access-date=22 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113164842/http://www.arminfo.am/political-issue22.html |archive-date=13 January 2009}}</ref>

[[Armenian SSR|A former republic]] of the [[Soviet Union]] and an [[emerging democracy]], Armenia was negotiating to become an associate EU partner and had completed negotiations to sign an [[European Union Association Agreement|Association Agreement]] with a [[Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area]] with the EU in 2013. However, the government opted not to finalize [[EU–Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement#Cancellation of Association Agreement|the agreement]], and instead joined the [[Eurasian Union|Eurasian Economic Union]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Eurasian Economic Commission|url = http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/Pages/default.aspx|website = www.eurasiancommission.org|access-date = 13 October 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151008032729/http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/Pages/default.aspx|archive-date = 8 October 2015|url-status=live|df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = ДОГОВОР О ПРИСОЕДИНЕНИИ РЕСПУБЛИКИ АРМЕНИЯ К ДОГОВОРУ О ЕВРАЗИЙСКОМ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОМ СОЮЗЕ ОТ 29 МАЯ 2014 ГОДА (Минск, 10 октября 2014 года)|url = http://www.customs-code.ru/pravovbaza/18429-dogovor-arm|website = www.customs-code.ru|access-date = 13 October 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141225011034/http://www.customs-code.ru/pravovbaza/18429-dogovor-arm|archive-date = 25 December 2014|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Armenia To Join Russian-Led Customs Union|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/armenia-customs-union/25094560.html|access-date=13 September 2013|date=3 September 2013|agency=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913013339/http://www.rferl.org/content/armenia-customs-union/25094560.html|archive-date=13 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this, Armenia and the EU finalized the [[Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement]] (CEPA) on 24 November 2017. The agreement enhances the relationship between Armenia and the EU to a new partnership level, further develops cooperation in economic, trade and political areas, aims to improve investment climate, and is designed to bring [[Law of Armenia|Armenian law]] gradually closer to the [[Acquis communautaire|EU acquis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/36141/new-agreement-signed-between-european-union-and-armenia-set-bring-tangible-benefits-citizens_en |date=November 24, 2017 |title=New agreement signed between the European Union and Armenia set to bring tangible benefits to citizens |publisher=European Commission|website=EEAS |language=en|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116140943/https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/36141/new-agreement-signed-between-european-union-and-armenia-set-bring-tangible-benefits-citizens_en|archive-date=16 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52017JC0037|title=Joint Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part |date=September 25, 2017 |website=EUR-Lex |access-date=16 September 2020|archive-date=5 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205075846/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52017JC0037|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euneighbours.eu/en/east/stay-informed/news/eu-and-armenia-take-stock-comprehensive-and-enhanced-partnership-agreement|title=EU and Armenia take stock on Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement implementation |website=EU Neighbours |date=December 18, 2019 |access-date=16 September 2020|archive-date=17 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917004251/https://www.euneighbours.eu/en/east/stay-informed/news/eu-and-armenia-take-stock-comprehensive-and-enhanced-partnership-agreement|url-status=dead }}</ref>

Legally speaking, Armenia has the right to be considered as a [[Potential enlargement of the European Union|prospective EU member]] provided it meets necessary standards and criteria, though officially such a plan does not exist in Brussels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libertas-institut.com/de/PDF/Armenia%20ante%20portas.pdf |title=How Armenia Could Approach the European Union |first1=Hans-Juergen |last1=Zahorka |website=Europäisches Institut GmbH |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428045333/http://www.libertas-institut.com/de/PDF/Armenia%20ante%20portas.pdf |archive-date=28 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/955&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en |title=EU launches negotiations on Association Agreements with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia |work=Europa (web portal) |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=21 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204144048/http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP%2F10%2F955&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en |archive-date=4 December 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.am/eng/news/22489.html |title=Armenia-EU association agreement may be concluded shortly &#124; Armenia News |publisher=News.am |access-date=21 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008143723/http://news.am/eng/news/22489.html |archive-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/delegations/armenia/press_corner/all_news/news/2010/20101215_01_en.htm |title=3rd Plenary Round of the EU–Armenia Negotiation on the Association Agreement |publisher=Ec.europa.eu |date=15 December 2010 |access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref> Armenia is included in the EU's [[European Neighbourhood Policy]] (ENP) and participates in both the [[Eastern Partnership]] and the [[Euronest Parliamentary Assembly]], which aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer.

Following the [[2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh]], Armenia's relations with a long-term ally Russia started to deteriorate. In February 2024, Armenian Prime Minister [[Nikol Pashinyan]] said that the CSTO "hasn't fulfilled its security obligations towards Armenia" and that "in practice we have basically frozen our participation in the CSTO".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gavin |first1=Gabriel |title=Putin loses grip on member of his military alliance |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/putins-military-alliance-loses-a-member/ |website=Politico.eu |date=23 February 2024}}</ref> On 28 February 2024, during a speech made in the [[National Assembly (Armenia)|National Assembly]], Pashinyan further stated that the CSTO is "a threat to the national security of Armenia".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pashinyan warns of potential de jure freeze of Armenia's activities in CSTO if the current process continues |url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1131379.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228183425/https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1131379.html |archive-date=2024-02-28 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=[[Armenpress]]}}</ref> In March 2024, Armenia officially expelled Russian border guards from the [[Zvartnots International Airport]] in Yerevan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leven |first1=Denis |title=Armenia moves to expel Russian border guards from Yerevan's airport |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/armenia-foreign-minister-ararat-mirzoyan-russia-border-guards-yerevan-zvartnots-airport/ |website=Politico.eu |date=12 March 2024}}</ref>

On 2 March 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan advised that Armenia would officially "apply to become a candidate for EU membership in the coming days, within a month at most".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.trend.az/scaucasus/armenia/3869381.html|title=Armenia's bid for EU membership - Yerevan's shift away from Russia|website=trend.az|date=2 March 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radar.am/en/news/press-2618720505/|title=Will Armenia apply to become a candidate for EU membership in the coming days?|website=radar.am}}</ref> On 5 March, Pashinyan stated that Armenia would apply for EU candidacy by Autumn 2024 at the latest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hraparak.am/post/c1bb9ccbee31e8bfe4661e7849e99a75|title=NIKOL PASHINYAN SAID THAT YOU SHOULD APPLY TO BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR EU MEMBERSHIP BEFORE AUTUMN AT THE LATEST|website=hraparak.am}}</ref> On 8 March 2024, Armenian Foreign Minister [[Ararat Mirzoyan]] stated, "Armenia is seeking to get closer to the West amid worsening relations with Russia" and "New opportunities are largely being discussed in Armenia nowadays, that includes membership in the European Union".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/armenia-mulling-eu-membership-application-foreign-minister-mirzoyan-says/|title=Armenia mulling EU membership application, foreign minister says|website=politico.eu|date=9 March 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/armenia-is-considering-seeking-eu-membership-foreign-minister-says/|title=Armenia is considering seeking EU membership, foreign minister says|website=euractiv.com}}</ref>