Armenian premier, US envoy discuss Radio Liberty broadcasts

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 Jul 07

The USA regards as very significant Armenian Prime Minister Serzh
Sargsyan’s participation in the council of the directorate of the US
Millennium Challenge Corporation – Armenia Organization. Washington
also highly rates Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping missions in
Iraq and Kosovo, the newly-appointed US charge d’affaires to Armenia,
Rudolf Perina, said in Yerevan today.

The US envoy and Sargsyan discussed the possibility of expanding
Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping missions in the future. Perina,
who was co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group in 2001-2004 and had the
opportunity to visit Yerevan, noted that he is very happy to be in
Armenia again and have the opportunity to strengthen and develop
bilateral ties between the USA and Armenia.

The sides also touched on the issue of Radio Liberty’s Armenian service
broadcasts in Armenia. Perina noted that the problem is linked to
contractual obligations, but if there are problems, they should be
resolved.

Sargsyan mentioned his earlier meeting with the former deputy US
ambassador to Armenia, Anthony Godfrey, where he said that they had
never raised the issue of suspending or prohibiting Radio Liberty
broadcasts in Armenia. Sargsyan said that the question should not be
assessed in this way.

The prime minister said the problem is linked to the settlement of some
issues and the chairman of the council of the Armenian TV and Radio
Company is holding talks with the leadership of Radio Liberty’s
Armenian service in this direction.

The prime minister pledged that he will consider this issue again, if
there are question regarding the results of the negotiations.

Perina described this as a positive decision and noted that if there
are misunderstandings related to technical issues, they should
definitely be solved during negotiations.