US EMBASSY URGES ARMENIAN OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

Yerevan, September 1. ArmInfo. There has been a great deal of media
commentary in recent days about an alleged tape that the
U.S. Ambassador is said to have conveyed to President Kocharian
implicating Nature Protection Minister Vardan Ayvazian for
corruption. The press release of the US Embassy in Yerevan states that
the American side is unaware of the existence of any such tape, and
has not conveyed any tape to the President. ‘We have a continuing
dialogue with Armenian government officials at many levels on the
well-known problem of official corruption. When we become aware of
credible allegations of corruption, we of course convey this
information to appropriate Armenian officials at a high level. We
strongly urge Armenian officials to investigate and prosecute
corruption allegations, and especially those involving government
ministers or other senior officials. Armenia cannot develop into a
fully successful democratic and economically sound state without
assurance of integrity at all levels of government,’ says the
published statement.