UK Foreign Office Minister of State David Lidington, who serves as Minister for Europe, responded to the Armenian Presidential election that was held on Monday. Commenting on the vote, Lidington said it marks another step forward in democratic development.

“The Armenian Presidential Election on 18 February marked another step forward in Armenia’s democratic development. The campaign was free and open and voter turn-out on polling day was good.  I expect that the final result, when confirmed, will reflect the choice of the Armenian voters.

“I welcome the International Election Observation Mission’s preliminary report which concluded that the elections were characterised by a ‘respect for fundamental freedoms’ but also noted deficiencies in election administration and instances of political interference. I look forward to seeing the Mission’s final report and encourage the Armenian Government to respond constructively to any recommendations it might make.

“The British Government looks forward to working with the Armenian Government to promote the economic reforms which will underpin Armenia’s efforts to forge a stronger relationship with the EU,” David Lidington said.