YEREVAN. – In 2017Armenia took certain steps to develop cooperation with the Middle East countries, Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an annual report, summing up 2017.

Over a dozen documents were signed with Middle East countries. Armenia paid attention to issues of national and religious minorities.

The Armenian-Lebanese relations continued to develop. The Minister for Planning Michael Pharaoh visited Armenia in April 2017.

Armenian-Egyptian technology forum was held in Cairo in May 2017. Regular flights from Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada to Yerevan were opened in June.

The 5th meeting of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission was held in Yerevan in September 2017, during which five documents were signed.

Armenia continued to provide humanitarian assistance to Syria. The only foreign office in Armenia continued its work in Aleppo. A regular flight Damascus-Yerevan-Damascus was opened in June 2017.

Armenia also developed relations with the UAE, Qatar, and Oman in 2017.