Armenia and Netherlands sign partnership declaration

Armenia and the Netherlands have signed a strategic partnership declaration covering cooperation in cyber resilience and countering hybrid threats. Amsterdam has said that the agreement does not contain any provisions on ‘military cooperation or armaments’.

The declaration was signed on Wednesday during Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp’s visit to Yerevan.

According to the text of the declaration published by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Armenia and the Netherlands have agreed to enhance their political dialogue, hold regular consultations, ensure open channels of communications, and continue working together on ‘strengthening democracy, rule of law, and human rights in Armenia’.

The declaration has provisions for regional and international cooperation which would entail their working together within international bodies such as the UN, the Council of Europe, the International Criminal Court, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), among others.

The two countries have also agreed to ‘continue to achieve a fair and lasting peace in the South Caucasus’ and to deepen Armenia–EU partnership.

They have also agreed to work on strengthening Armenia’s economic development and connectivity, and to increase trade relations with the EU in line with the Armenia–EU partnership agreement.

Armenia and the Netherlands have also agreed to collaborate on exchanging information on international cyber diplomacy and bolstering cyber resilience.

Following the signing of the declaration, Veldkamp stressed that the agreement does not contain any provisions on ‘military cooperation or armaments’.

Azerbaijan and Russia have been continuously criticising Armenia’s pursuit of warmer ties with the West in light of its deteriorating relations with Moscow. Armenia’s relations with Russia have, however, appeared to improve in recent months.

Azerbaijan in particular regularly criticises Armenia’s purchase of weaponry from France, India, and other countries and its receipt of non-lethal support from the European Peace Facility.

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Caliber claimed, citing ‘trusted sources’, that the ‘region is on the brink of another war, likely provoked by Armenia’.

OC MediaArshaluys Barseghyan

During a press briefing with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, Veldkamp warned that Armenia could be targeted by ‘Russian disinformation campaigns’ in the future that could influence the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2026.

‘We have raised our concerns regarding disinformation, elections, that took place in Moldova and Georgia. We see Russian disinformation campaigns here. There is a risk that Armenia will be targeted in the future, with an aim to damage its relations with Ukraine and other countries, as well as incite tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan’, Veldkamp said, according to Armenpress.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has also received Veldkamp and his delegation.

During their meeting, Pashinyan said he ‘highly appreciated’ the ties between their countries and expressed hope that they would further expand. He also praised Amsterdam’s role in ‘deepening Armenia–EU relations and in effectively implementing the democratic reform agenda’ in Armenia.

In mid-February, the Armenian Parliament voted in favour of a draft law supporting Armenia’s prospective EU membership in its first reading. The government greenlit the law in January, prompting swift criticism from Russia, whose high-ranking officials have repeatedly said that Armenia’s prospective EU membership was incompatible with its membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.

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The bill was greenlit by the Armenian government in January.

OC MediaArshaluys Barseghyan