US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HELPS REPAIR ARMENIAN HOSPITAL

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: US ambassador to Armenia, John
Ordway, and Armenia’s defense minister Serzh Sarkisian, traveled today
to the northern town of Talin, to attend the opening ceremony of a
local hospital that was repaired on funds donated by US Department of
Defense as part of an humanitarian assistance program of the US forces
deployed in Europe.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Sarkisian said US-Armenian
military cooperation has also a social aspect. “This cooperation is
natural and is developing and I hope it will continue,” the defense
minister said, adding that his ministry will help the hospital with
acquisition of medications.

Ambassador Ordway said residents of the town and nearby
settlementwill benefit from the hospital. He also said that
US-Armenian military cooperation will expand further.

The US department of defense had released $237,000 for the
overallrepair of the hospital, including building a new boiler house,
installation of new electricity, water supplying and sewage
systems. The hospital with 100 berths employs 127 people.

Armenian defense minister also said that by the end of the year
Armenia’s relations with NATO will be based on an individual
partnership program, allowing to build more closer contacts with both
the USA and NATO member countries.

Ordway in turn underlined that “it stems from our interests that
the South Caucasus comes in the limelight of the June 28-29 NATO
summit in Istanbul. We shall work towards harmonizing the interests of
the regional countries with those of NATO members and USA,” he said.