I KNOW WHAT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS ELIZABETH JONES SAID ABOUT AND I DO NOT
THINK THE MATTER CONCERNED NAGORNY KARABAKH: JOHN EVANS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21. ARMINFO. “I know what criminal elements US
Assistant Secretary of the State Elizabeth Jones had said about and I
don’t think that the matter concerned Nagorny Karabakh.”
U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia John
Evans stated in the interview to TV company Armenia, commenting on the
recent statements of Elizabeth Jones.

According to him, the U.S policy concerning the process of peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict remains unchanged. The United
States provide assistance both to Yerevan and Baku in reaching
resolution to the conflict, which is said in the statement of the
U.S. Embassy this week. The United States is the good partner of
Armenia and what is said does not require proves. As regards the
statements of U.S. Assistant Secretary of the State Elizabeth Jones,
“I have known her for almost 30 years as a professional diplomat and
when I first read the information about its statements, I thought
immediately – something is wrong here”, John Evans stressed.

He thinks that the statements of Elizabeth Jones concerning criminal
elements did not concern Nagorny Karabakh. Generally, she had an
unofficial talk with journalists during his vide news conference and
meant then that the USA and Russia must cooperate closely in the issue
of settlement of the conflicts in Abkhazia, Transdnesitria, Nagorny
Karabakh. And she had noted there are extremist criminal elements here
in the districts bordering with Russia. “I know the geography and I
don’t think that the matter concerned Nagorny Karabakh – we know what
districts and elements she meant”, the American diplomat said.

He noted also that the USA has given humanitarian aid to Nagorny
Karabakh for a long time. This assistance is also provided by the USA
budget this year, at that the USA is one of the two countries of the
world which provides such an aid to Nagorny Karabakh. Those, who
wrongly comment on the statements of Elizabeth Jones, tries to damage
the Armenian-American relations, which are at not bad level, and it is
very important, John Evans said.