ARMINFO News Agency
October 7, 2005
US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: USA INTENDS TO PROMOTE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT
ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7. ARMINFO. US Congress intends to allocate big
funds to improve the election system of Armenia hereby really
contributing to democratic elections in the country. US Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans said at the “Rose Roth” joint seminar of NATO PA
and the Armenian Parliament on the topic “Security in the South
Caucasus”. The four-day seminar opened on October 6 in Yerevan.
Regarding the Constitutional reforms, John Evans said that a great
work was done to work out the draft, which will balance the power
branches. Foreign ambassadors and representatives of international
organizations have already given their assessment of the draft.
Unfortunately, it has been harshly criticized as an interference into
the internal affairs of Armenia. We have just taken a favorable view
of the draft Constitutional amendments and noted that the choice
rests upon the Armenian people, the Ambassador said. He thinks the
referendum bar high enough – 1/3 of the total number of voters.
Ambassador Evans noted that since the independence of Armenia, the
USA has allocated $1.6 bln assistance to the country. The USA works
in three directions in Armenia: to ensure security and contribute to
settling regional conflicts; to promote economic development; to
develop democratic institutions.