YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 25, formally agreed to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia, ending a decades-long policy related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry announced that the Armenian and Saudi ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates signed a relevant protocol in Abu Dhabi. It said the document cites the two countries’ desire to “establish cordial relations in various fields.”
Armenia has long maintained such relations with other Gulf Arab monarchies, notably the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Both nations have embassies in Yerevan.
It was not immediately clear whether Riyadh and Yerevan are planning to open embassies in each other’s capital.
Saudi Arabia had for decades refused to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia due to its conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Karabakh. The oil-rich kingdom signaled a change in that policy after its relations with Armenia’s arch-foe and Azerbaijan’s ally Turkey deteriorated significantly several years ago.
The policy change was highlighted in October 2021 by then Armenian President Armen Sarkissian’s visit to Riyadh. Sarkissian sat next to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at the opening ceremony of an international conference held there.
