Estonia and Armenia

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Estonia and Armenia

Bilateral relations

(last updated: 02.07.2010)

Relations between Estonia and Armenia are stable and good, but not optimally developed mainly because of the lack of bilateral business contacts.Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Armenia were established on 23 August 1992.

The Ambassador of Armenia to Estonia Ashot Galoyan presented his credentials to President Arnold Rüütel in June 2006. The Ambassador resides in Warsaw. The Estonian Ambassador to Armenia Toomas Lukk presented his credentials to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on 13 November 2008. The Ambassador resides in Tbilisi.

From September 1999 until July 2005 Garik Iknoyan was Armenia’s Honorary Consul in Estonia. At the moment no successor has been appointed.

In October 2001, the Armenian Foreign Ministry approved the appointment of Avetik Gukasyan as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Estonia in Armenia.

Visits

To Armenia
July 1996	Foreign Minister Siim Kallas as Head of the Delegation of the Council of Europe
December 1997	Delegation of the Riigikogu headed by Chairman Toomas Savi
April 2001	Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves
May 2004	Delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu
November 2004	President Arnold Rüütel's official visit

To Estonia
August 1992	Foreign Minister Raffik Hovanissyan
February 1998	Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly (Parliament) Hosrov Arutyunyan
March 2000	Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan
June 2002	President Robert Kocharian's official visit
September 2005	Minister of Defence Serzh Sargsyan
December 2007	Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
November 2008	Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian

Agreements

Protocol on Co-operation between the Ministries of Interior Affairs (came into force 24.04.1992);
Protocol on Co-operation between the Foreign Ministries (came into force 09.10.2001);
Agreement of Aviation Transport (came into force 09.10.2001);
Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital (came into force 23.01.2003);
Agreement between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia and the Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Armenia on Cooperation in the Field of Culture (came into force 10.06.2005);
Memorandum of Co-operation between the Foreign Ministries for European Integration (came into force 03.12.2007).

Economic Relations

Economic relations between Estonia and Armenia are modest, investments in one another’s economies are essentially non-existent. Estonia is interested in developing economic relations between the two countries as well as intensifying trade relations.

TRADE

Trade between Estonia and Armenia 2000 - 2009 (in millions EUR)

	Turnover	Exports	Imports	Balance
2000	0.25	0.10	0.15	-0.04
2001	0.26	0.16	0.09	0.06
2002	0.42	0.22	0.20	0.06
2003	0.31	0.21	0.10	0.11
2004	0.37	0.36	0.01	0.36
2005	0.79	0.78	0.01	0.77
2006	1.46	1.43	0.02	1.41
2007	1.02	0.97	0.04	0.93
2008	1.43	0.70	0.73	-0.04
2009	0.93	0.81	0.12	0.70

Source: Statistical Office of Estonia

Main export articles in 2009:

Food products, beverages - 35.6%
Machinery and equipment - 24.1%

Main import articles in 2009:

Food products, beverages - 86%

As of 31 December 2009 Armenian direct investments to Estonia were 28.3 thousand EUR.

DEVELOPMENT AID

In the framework of development aid, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranged an IT seminar for Armenian state officials in October 2001 in co-operation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

In June 2002, a seminar introducing Estonian health care and health insurance system reforms was organized in co-operation with the Ministry of Social Affairs.

In September 2003 in the framework of Estonia’s E-Governance Academy, Armenian government officials participated in an ICT and ICT Management in Public Sector training course. Representatives from 15 different agencies participated.

In 2003 Estonian Rescue Board started the project "Development of Civil Protection Capabilities in the Republic of Armenia". This project has found a continuation, which will end in 2009.

In November 2008, Armenian diplomats participated alongside diplomats from Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in the Estonian School of Diplomacy’s training course “Introducing Estonia’s EU and NATO integration experiences”.

Education and Culture

Tartu University and Yerevan University have had historically good contacts. In the last century, books in Armenian were printed in the University of Tartu printing house. In the period from 1830-1836, Khatchatur Abovyan, the founder of the new Armenian literature and literary language, studied in Tartu, as did Stephanos Nazaryan, a leader of the Armenian movement of national enlightenment.

In the 19th century, well-known Armenian poets Rafael Patkanyan, Gevorg Dodokhyan and Gevorg Barhudaryan and doctors Mikael Minrimanyan and Grigori Mednikyan studied in Tartu. At the beginning of the 20th century, fraternities of Armenian students were active at the university.

Approximately 2,000 Armenians reside in Estonia.

The Armenian National Society co-ordinates the activities of Armenian societies and associations in Estonia. The first society, the Armenian Cultural Society, was created in Tallinn in 1988. In March 1999, on the initiative of the National Society, the Armenian Cultural Centre was opened in Tallinn on Kuninga Street.

In 1994, the Estonian Gregorian Congregation of the Armenian Apostolic Church was established.

Several exhibitions of Armenian artists organized by the Armenian Estonian Diaspora have taken place in Tallinn with artists such as Rafael Arutyunyan participating.

On the Internet one can find the Estonia-Armenian portal at the address www.armenia.ee.