#Times: London, Yerevan hold talks on sending illegal migrants to Armenia

The United Kingdom has started talks with four countries that could receive illegal migrants expelled from the country, The Times newspaper reported, citing documents of the British Foreign Office.

According to the newspaper, these countries are Armenia, Botswana, Ivory Coast and Costa Rica. The question of possible cooperation with Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador was also raised, but the Foreign Office believes that the authorities of these countries will not be very interested in it.

The newspaper recalled that for a year and a half the UK has been looking for countries that would be willing to accept illegal migrants expelled from it. The country's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hoped to conclude the relevant agreements last fall, but the negotiations have stalled because the British authorities have not yet managed to send a single illegal immigrant to Rwanda.

As the newspaper points out, London began technical negotiations with Yerevan last September, when Deputy Minister of State Leo Docherty visited Armenia. The Armenian authorities are reportedly monitoring the development of the situation around Rwanda after the British Parliament voted in favor of the new law. The agreement between London and Kigali implies that illegal migrants expelled from the UK will be able to apply for asylum in Rwanda, rather than being sent back to their home countries, where they may be in danger.