THE U.S. EXPECTS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA WILL BE HELD BETTER THAN THE ELECTIONS TO THE PARLIAMENT

Medimax
December 17, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. U.S. Charge D’Affaires in Armenia Joseph Pennington
expressed hope today that improvement will be marked during the
presidential elections in Armenia in 2008, as compared to the elections
to the parliament, which took place in 2007.

Mediamax reports that, speaking during a briefing today, the
U.S. diplomat stated that the USA and the international community
recognized that progress was marked during the elections to the
National Assembly of Armenia in May of 2007, and they want to see
the continuation of the given trend.

Joseph Pennington reminded that on the eve of the parliamentary
elections, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
started a program for assisting in holding free and fair elections
in Armenia, and the given program will be continued up till the
presidential elections in 2008.

There is a preliminary agreement reached within the framework of the
given program, according to which the U.S. International Republican
Institute (IRI) will realize exit-polls on the day of the elections
in Armenia on February 19 of 2008. "We are pleased by the fact that
the Armenian Prime Minister publicly supported the given initiative,
which is meant to increase the confidence of the electors", Joseph
Pennington stated.

The U.S. diplomat noted that in the context of preparation for the
elections, the USA attach great importance to the activities of the
Armenian media and to securing equal conditions for all the candidates
for the position of the President. According to Pennington, based on
the work of the Armenian media, it will be possible in many respects
make judgments on the quality of the upcoming elections.