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On June 28, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland John Gallagher, the Special Defence Advisor of the United Kingdom to Georgia and Armenia Claire Mackian and the Expert on Audit John Cheshire.

Welcoming the guests in parliament, Andranik Kocharyan noted that the previous meeting was three years ago. “Many programmes, including the agreements, which were reached at the previous meeting remained half done because of Covid-19, then also 44-day war, but during the post-war period we should make the peace agenda as a priority,” the Committee Chair underlined.

Andranik Kocharyan highlighted the cooperation on the security issues with the international counterparts, in this context singling out the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), with the support of which still in April the delegation comprised of the high ranking representatives of the RA National Assembly and the Government paid an educational visit to the Swiss Confederation.

The Committee Chair especially stressed the cooperation between Armenia and the United Kingdom also in the sphere of the military education. Andranik Kocharyan considered important the study and use of the succeeded experience of the United Kingdom on the way of the implementation of the reforms in the Armed Forces in Armenia, especially within the framework of the foreign intelligence and activities special services.

Thanking for the meeting, Ambassador John Gallagher noted that Armenia and the United Kingdom have great opportunities for expanding the cooperation in the sphere of defence.

In her turn Claire Mackian presented the opportunities of cooperation with the RA Ministry of Defence, as well as the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security in the sphere of internal audit and risk management of defense. Andranik Kocharyan assured the cooperation in this field and assured that it will be under his direct attention.

The sides assured that the meetings will be continuous.