A bilateral meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will launch a strategic dialogue between the US and Armenia, said US State Department spokesman Ned Price during a press conference on Tuesday.

The Secretary of State is committed to further strengthening bilateral relations in line with our shared democratic values and continued cooperation on the reform agenda in Armenia, Ned Price said.

"During the meeting, as you alluded to, the Secretary and his foreign minister counterpart, they did sign a nuclear cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, paving the way for increased cooperation on civil nuclear matters as Armenia looks to diversify its energy supply. They also discussed Armenia’s progress in implementing democratic rule of law and anti-corruption reforms as well as a broader dialogue about relations between Armenia and its neighbors," he noted.

Ned Price added that this would lead to a strategic dialogue. “This will lead into tomorrow’s Strategic Dialogue. That Strategic Dialogue will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-Armenian diplomatic relations. It underscores our shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and a bilateral relationship that is both broad and deep and that will be broader and deeper at the conclusion of this Strategic Dialogue,” the spokesman said.