Defense Minister addresses Blinken's statement on US Customs and Border Patrol's planned visit to Armenia

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has addressed the statement of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to which US Customs and Border Patrol team will arrive in Armenia in the coming weeks to contribute to the development of border security and peacekeeping capabilities.

During the press conference, Papikyan noted that the Armenian Armed Forces do not control the border troops, and border checkpoints are not under the responsibility of the Armed Forces. However, the minister referred to the ongoing cooperation between Armenia and the U.S. in the peacekeeping sphere through the "Eagle Partner" military exercises.

"We have continued this cooperation for the past two years. The prerequisites for this were laid 20 years ago, and there is a long-term cooperation. This is taking place within the framework of cooperation with the Kansas National Guard," said Papikyan.

The minister detailed that every year Armenia strives to enrich and integrate this cooperation into a longer-term planning framework. Papikyan mentioned that, as in previous years, there are currently discussions about holding such an event in 2025.

The minister was also asked whether the Strategic Partnership document signed between Armenia and the United States envisages the possibility of arms sales. Papikyan clarified that such an issue is not included in the document, and the cooperation is primarily based on institutional and long-term foundations. However, the Defense Minister expressed hope for such cooperation in the future.

On January 14, before the signing ceremony of the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Partnership document, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol team would visit Armenia in the coming weeks to work with Armenian counterparts on border security capacity building, strengthen security cooperation, and enhance Armenia's peacekeeping capabilities through exercises like Eagle Partner.