HILLARY CLINTON: U.S. IS INTERESTED IN STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALL-ROUND RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 6, 2009
WASHINGTON

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian being in Washington on a
working visit met with U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton on May
5. The latter stated that the U.S. is interested in strengthening
and development of all-round relations with Armenia, and President
Obama’s administration is resolute to expand cooperation between the
two countries.

E. Nalbandian, in his turn, emphasized that Armenia attaching
importance to further strenthening of its relations with the United
States, will pursue development and deepening of friendly partnership
with the U.S. and expansion of cooperation.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and United States discussed a wide
range of issues regarding various spheres of bilateral relations,
possibilities of development and expansion of economic partnership,
touched upon the sitting of the Armenian-American Intergovernmental
Commission to be held in May in Yerevan, discussed a number of regional
and international issues.

Touching upon the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, H. Clinton classed as historic the April 22 statement of
the RA and Turkish Foreign Ministries. She reaffirmed the position
of the United States to continue providing complete assistance to
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

The latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement were also
discussed at the meeting. H. Clinton emphasized the necessity of
conflict’s peaceful settlement and said that the U.S. as a country
co-chairing in the OSCE Minsk Group will continue providing complete
support to reaching of agreements between the conflict sides and to
problem’s solution, which will create new possibilities for development
of the South Caucasian region, strengthening of stability and security.

The same day the RA Foreign Minister met with General James Jones, the
U.S. President’s National Security Adviser, at the White House. Issues
regarding various spheres of Armenian-American partnership, provision
of regional security were discussed at the meeting. J. Jones highly
assessed Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping actions and in
that context its important contribution in the issue of providing
international security. A detailed talk on the normalization process
of Armenian-Turkish relations and possibilities of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement took place at the meeting.

At the meeting with Howard Berman, the Chairman of the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, E. Nalbandian presented
the main directions and priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy. The
interlocutors touched upon issues concerning stability and security
in the South Caucasus.

According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
on May 4, E. Nalbandian visited U.S. Congress, where he met with
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chairs Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk,
Armenian Caucus members, Congressmen Anna Eshoo, Steve Rotman, and
Scott Garrett. The RA Foreign Minister thanking the Congressmen for
their pro-Armenian activity of many years, highly assessed the work
of the House of Representatives Armenian Caucus and its members’
role in strengthening Armenian-American relations.

At Congressmen’s request E. Nalbandian presented the latest
developments in normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the
steps to be undertaken to establish normal relations between the two
neighbor states in that sphere. The Congressmen expressed support
to the steps undertaken by the Armenian leadership to normalize the
relations with Turkey.

The Nagorno Karabakh settlement negotiations and their prospects were
touched upon at the meeting.

At the meeting with Rodney Bent, the head of the Millennium Challenge
Corporation, E. Nalbandian discussed issues related to continuation
of programs implemented by the Corporation in Armenia.

The RA Foreign Minister also met with representatives of the American
Armenian community in the capital city of the United States.

Completing his visit to Washington on May 5, E. Nalbandian left for
Prague, where he will participate in the Eastern Partnership Summit
as a member of the delegation led by the RA President.