MATTHEW BRYZA: US WILL STIVE TO DEVELOP DEMOCRACY NOT ONLY FROM UP TO DOWN BUT ALSO FROM DOWN TO UP

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The purpose
of my visit to Armenia is to do everything possible for further
strengthening of the Armenian-US relations,” Matthew Bryza, Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,
stated at a press conference in Yerevan on March 7.

In particular, according to him, the US attached special importance to
the Armenian-US bilateral relations in the field of democracy and the
issue of power-bearing substances diversification in Armenia. M. Bryza
noted that diversification is important not only with respect to
the issue of gas import – great attention should also be paid to the
development of hydropower energy, geothermal energy, as well as the
construction of nuclear power plants of new generation.

Regarding the current level of democracy in Armenia, M. Bryza noted
that he would not like to attach any label to Armenia, particularly,
to say what kind of country Armenia is today, – Armenia is in the
process of democratization.

We believe that it will proceed successfully, otherwise Armenia would
not have been included in the Millennium Challenges Program, he said.

He also underlined that the development of the democratization process
requires the political will of the country’s authorities and the
constructive position of its political parties. He said that in the
coming months, the US will try to use all available resources in order
to develop democracy not only from up to down but also from down to up.