CONDOLEEZZA RICE DEMANDS TO DEEPEN DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN ARMENIA
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
30/03/2006

RA Finance and Economy Ministry informed that Vartan Khachatrian,
RA finance and economy minister, and John Danilovich, executive
director of Millennium Challenges Corporation, signed agreement on
March 27 in Washington. The agreement costs $236.5 million and will
last five years.

The project is aimed to reduce rural poverty by securing stable growth
of agricultural production. The investments are directed to assist
750 thousand Armenian farmers or 75% of the village residents. It is
envisaged that the project will help reduce rural poverty by 6%.

RFE/RL informed that US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice who was
present during agreement signing stated during the ceremony that
Armenia should deepen democratic reforms. She reminded the concern of
the foreign observers about the violations during the constitutional
referendum.

In this connection, RA foreign minister Vartan Oskanian said that
the Armenian authorities already take certain measures to keep the
elections in line with the international criteria.