Armenia–United Kingdom relations

Armenian–British relations

Armenia	United Kingdom

Armenian–British relations are foreign relations between Armenia and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom recognised Armenia on 31 December 1991. The first Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Europe was established in London in October 1992. Since 1995, the United Kingdom has an embassy in Yerevan. The two countries maintain collaborative and friendly relations.

State visits between Armenia and the United Kingdom

There are various state visits between Armenia and the United Kingdom the latest being the visit of the British State Minister of Europe David Lidington to Yerevan. Additionally President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan have visited the United Kingdom in July 2012.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited Armenia in June 1990 when it was part of the Soviet Union.

Armenian genocide recognition

Armenian memorial unveiled in Cardiff in 2007.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland recognise the Armenian genocide, however United Kingdom as a whole does not recognize the Armenian Genocide, as it considers that the evidence is not clear enough to respectively consider "the terrible events that afflicted the Ottoman Armenian population at the beginning of the last century" genocide under the 1948 UN convention. The British government states the "massacres were an appalling tragedy" and condemns them stating that this was the view of the government during that period.^[1]

Armenian community of the UK

According to Vered Amit's Armenians in London: The Management of Social Boundaries, published in 1989, around 10,000 Armenians were living in Greater London at the time. The majority were thought to be first-generation immigrants from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Cyprus.^[2] They also include Armenians from Ethiopia, India, Egypt, Israel, as well as individuals from other countries.

Manchester has been home to an Armenian population since 1835, with 30 Armenian businesses thought to have been operating in the city by 1862.^[3]

See also

• Foreign relations of Armenia
• Foreign relations of United Kingdom
• Armenians in the United Kingdom

References

1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/03/armenia-genocide-denial-britain
2. Talai, Vered Amit (1989). Armenians in London: The Management of Social Boundaries. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-7190-2927-9.
3. "Multi-Cultural Manchester: Armenians". Manchester City Council. Retrieved 2009-08-22.

External links

• Armenian embassy in London
• armeniangenocide - epetition response 6 December 2007.
• British Foreign and Commonwealth Office about relations with Armenia *British embassy in Yerevan