IMPLEMENTATION OF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES CORPORATION’S PROGRAM IN ARMENIA TO CONTRIBUTE TO REGIONS’ DEVELOPMENT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 13 2006
Yerevan, April 13. /ARKA/. The implementation of the Millennium
Challenges Corporation’s program in Armenia will essentially
contribute to the development of the country’s regions and rural
poverty reduction, Speaker of the RA Parliament Artur Baghdasaryan
stated at his meeting with a US delegation, which includes Chairman
of the Foreign Allocations Subcommittee, Chamber of Representatives,
US Congress, Jim Colby and Head of the “Millennium Challenges”
corporation John Danilovich.
During the meeting, Speaker Baghdasaryan pointed out the importance
of the program in the following directions: regional development and
bridging the development gap between the capital and the regions,
democratic development and introduction of public control mechanisms.
Speaker Baghdasaryan expressed gratitude to the US Government for its
consistent assistance in the country’s democratization. “Armenia’s
economic and democratic development must be simultaneous,” Baghdasaryan
said.
The sides pointed out the importance of the program for Armenia’s
democratic development on the threshold of the 2007-2008 elections.
In their turn, Danilovich and Colby addressed democratic reforms
and economic development of Armenia. They pointed out the existence
of political will for the development of the reforms, ensuring of
political freedoms, rule of law and transparency in the implementation
of the program. They also pointed out the necessity of holding
elections in conformity with the international standards.
Danilovich re-affirmed the determination of the US Government and of
the Millennium Challenges Corporation to be guided by the fundamental
principles of Armenia’s involvement in the program.
The agreement on the allocation of $235.5mln to Armenia under the
Millennium Challenges Corporation program was signed in Washington,
USA, on March 27, 2006. The document was signed by RA Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and Head of the Millennium
Challenges Corporation John Danilovich.