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| 17:04:04 | 07-10-2005 | Politics |

USA EXPECTING RA REGULAR ELECTIONS

«USA will put up money as to make Armenian 2007 Parliamentary and 2008
Presidential elections democratic, just and transparent», – U.S. Àmbassador
Åxtraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia John Evans stated today
addressing Rose-Roth NATO PA seminar.

In his speech he also mentioned constitutional amendments as democratic ones
and conditioned them on further development of democracy in Armenia.
Secretary of `National Unity’ Aleksan Karapetyan asked John Evans whether it
would be right to hold extraordinary Parliamentary and Presidential for
creating an atmosphere of confidence and realizing the constitutional
amendments properly. U.S. Ambassador answered, that they understand very
well it’s not enough to have a good Constitution. `It’s necessary, but not
enough. Laws must be observed without arbitrariness’, John Evans noted. As
regards extraordinary elections Mr. Evans told that `there’s not much time
left until regular elections, so these 15 months may be used for preparation
to free and just elections.

Azeri delegate Leyla Alieva asked Evans if U.S. doesn’t keep ex-Soviet
countries in kind of dependence by marking them out financial means, and
doesn’t that ’cause diffidence of those countries as it actually happened at
Soviet times. Evans answered they don’t have such an aim, they just think,
if economic and social condition of people improves, there’ll be fewer
conflicts.

«By financial support we stimulate the formation of security and stability.
Support from outside does not weaken the development of self-dependence».
Mr. Evans also reminded, that U.S. alloted Armenia 1,6 mlrd dollars during
these years.

Is democracy possible in a region, where there are troops which simply block
some developments. Evans answered democracy and regional conflicts are
interconnected. If democracy wins, the conflicts will become fewer.