EU says it will start talks with Armenia on visa-free travel

TBILISI/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has decided to open dialogue on visa liberalisation with Armenia, the EU said on Monday, in what Yerevan's foreign minister described as a "milestone" for the traditional Russian ally's ties with the bloc.

The Council of the EU said on its website that the bloc had decided to open visa talks with Yerevan, as well as offering 10 million euros ($10.89 million) in aid to Armenia's military.

South Caucasian Armenia has in recent months rushed to build ties with Western countries amid rapidly souring relations with treaty ally Russia, which Armenian officials have accused of failing to protect it from neighbour and longtime rival Azerbaijan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said in a statement: "This is a very important milestone in the deepening partnership between Armenia and the EU, based on shared values and principles."

Visa liberalisation would allow Armenians to make short visits to countries inside the EU's Schengen Zone - which is free of internal borders - without needing a visa. Several other post-Soviet countries, including Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia's neighbour Georgia have been granted such regimes.

In its statement, the Council said that the visa-free regime would be introduced only once Armenia met certain "benchmarks". Armenian media have reported that the process could take several years.

($1 = 0.9185 euros)

(Reporting by Felix Light in Tbilisi and Andrew Gray in Brussels; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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