GOVERNMENTS OF US AND ARMENIA SIGN SECOND AMENDMENT TO LOA ON
NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
ArmenPress
May 20 2004
YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS: U.S. Ambassador John Ordway and Prosecutor
General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan signed on May 19 Amendment Two to
the existing Letter of Agreement (LOA) between the U.S. and Armenia
on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement. The LOA is the framework for
the provision of INL (the Department of State’s Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs) assistance to Armenia. Amendment
Two covers the provision of an additional $2,158,000 in INL assistance,
which includes technical assistance and training contracted through
U.S. government agencies, and equipment procured by the Department
of State. Immediate funding for programs under Amendment Two totals
$1,466,000, with future funding for the programs contingent upon
congressional authorization and approval by the Assistant Secretary
of State for INL. Specifically, the programs to be implanted under
this amendment are:
-Curriculum Development at Law Enforcement Training Academies:
to continue the modernization of the training academies and the
incorporation of new curricula and training methodologies in law
enforcement training programs.
-Regional Computer Network Project: to improve the capacity of Armenian
law enforcement agencies for investigations, sharing information
and accessing international data by providing computer hardware and
software, with related equipment, as well as payment of one year of
connection to the Internet, for law enforcement offices throughout
Armenia, including 52 regional police precincts.
-Trafficking in Persons Project: to prevent and suppress trafficking
in persons through activities focused on prevention of incidents,
prosecution of perpetrators and the protection of victims.
-Forensic Lab Development Project: to continue the development of a
modern forensic laboratory in Armenia.
Under Amendment One to the LOA, INL assistance supported several
programs to build the capacity of Armenia’s law enforcement agencies
to combat trafficking in persons, and procured computer equipment for
three law enforcement training facilities. Amendment One was signed
in April 2003.