Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia
11 May 2005
T he Official Dedication of the New U.S. Embassy in Armenia
May 6, 2005, the new Embassy of the United States was officially dedicated
at 1 American Avenue on the shore of Lake Yerevan. Honored guests included
President Robert Kocharian, General Charles Williams, the head of all U.S.
overseas properties, U.S. AMB to Kazakhstan and former U.S. AMB to Armenia
John Ordway, the Catholicos’s representative, ministers of the republic of
Armenia, ambassadors, and leading members of civil society.
To learn more about the new U.S. Embassy, please go to:
Ambassador Evans Remarks at the dediacation:
“Mr. President, Your Grace, General Williams, Your Excellencies, ministers
of the Republic of Armenia, Ambassador Ordway, honored guests, colleagues
and friends:
Welcome to the new Embassy of the United States of America in the Republic
of Armenia.
The United States deeply values its friendship with the Republic of Armenia.
Our countries are bound together by a long and unique history. America has
been enriched by millions of citizens who trace their ancestry to Armenia
and play a vibrant role in the culture, economy and politics of our country.
Since Armenia became independent in 1991, we have worked together to create
democratic institutions and a growing economy. That work will continue and
the ties between our two nations will inevitably grow.
These buildings are first and foremost a workplace. Many have questioned
their size and asked why the United States should build such a facility. I
could give you many reasons such as the physical safety of our employees,
security in a world threatened by terrorists, or the need for more parking.
However, the main reason was simply that we needed more room to do our work
and receive our visitors. But even those who may see only the outside of
this beautiful new building, should view it as symbolizing both the
importance my government attaches to its relationship with Armenia, and our
long-term commitment to those relations.
Armenia has made such good progress in the last fifteen years that it has
been found eligible for special assistance under President Bush’s innovative
Millennium Challenge Account. Experts from the two sides have been
discussing Armenia’s proposal for using such assistance in Yerevan this
week. We have every reason to believe that Armenia will continue to remain
eligible as it continues to pursue planned reforms. The United States
appreciates the role Armenia is playing in the Global War on Terrorism and
Armenia’s deployment of a non-combatant contingent to Iraq to support that
nation’s transition to a stable democracy.
The United States is committed to working with both Yerevan and Baku to seek
an equitable resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A settlement will
indeed require significant compromises by both sides. The international
community will not impose a solution, but stands ready to support a
settlement reached by the two sides. We are also committed to seeking the
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.
To meet our commitments, and to advance our shared goals of promoting the
growth of genuine democratic institutions and expanding economic
opportunities for the Armenian people, we needed a proper place to work. Now
we have it. I welcome you here today, and look forward to cooperating with
you from this new location.”