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WE PROMISED AND AMERICANS BECAME OPTIMISTIC
Lragir, Armenia
Dec 12 2006
The Millennium Challenge Corporation has provided the first tranche
of 882 thousand dollars and will provide another 507 thousand out
of 236 million dollars by the end of this year. On December 12 the
leadership of the Millennium Challenge Account Armenia State Non-Profit
Organization and the representatives of the Armenian party held a news
conference to congratulate the Armenian government and people. The
speakers started and finished their speeches with congratulations
but more interesting things were stated between these congratulations.
For instance, Anthony Godfry, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Armenia
stated that this project with a total value of 236 million dollars
will continue if the elections in 2007 and 2008 are free and fair.
Like six month ago, the American party fears that Armenia still has
problems with fair governance, political rights, civil freedoms and
corruption, but the Americans are optimistic that these problems will
be settled. They are optimistic because the Armenian government has
assumed obligations, and has promised to honor these obligations.
Anthony Godfry stated that hopefully the Armenian public will help
honor these obligations, while the international community is already
giving practical assistance. We tried to find out that if it is
possible to consider free and fair processes in a country where the
media are controlled by the president. Anthony Godfry only said that
they will rely on the evaluations of the World Bank with regard to
fair governance.
The speakers declined to say how and with whose help the MCA is going
to evaluate he state of political and civil freedoms, fair governance
and transparency in elections, but they noted that the press will have
importance, and international observers will be observing the elections
in Armenia. It was not clear whose evaluation of the elections will
shape the opinion of the MCA. For its part, MCA Armenia guarantees
that thee will be no corruption. Alex Russin, the director of the MCC
Program for Armenia stated that this is an investment in the future of
Armenia, and they are interested in the right use of these funds. He
believes that transparency will be helpful for entitled spending of
these funds.
Meanwhile, Ara Hovsepyan, the chief executive of the MCA Armenia
advised not to focus on political problems. "The country may do
well in political matters, but the MCA program may be uneffective
and pointless."
Lragir, Armenia
Dec 12 2006
The Millennium Challenge Corporation has provided the first tranche
of 882 thousand dollars and will provide another 507 thousand out
of 236 million dollars by the end of this year. On December 12 the
leadership of the Millennium Challenge Account Armenia State Non-Profit
Organization and the representatives of the Armenian party held a news
conference to congratulate the Armenian government and people. The
speakers started and finished their speeches with congratulations
but more interesting things were stated between these congratulations.
For instance, Anthony Godfry, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Armenia
stated that this project with a total value of 236 million dollars
will continue if the elections in 2007 and 2008 are free and fair.
Like six month ago, the American party fears that Armenia still has
problems with fair governance, political rights, civil freedoms and
corruption, but the Americans are optimistic that these problems will
be settled. They are optimistic because the Armenian government has
assumed obligations, and has promised to honor these obligations.
Anthony Godfry stated that hopefully the Armenian public will help
honor these obligations, while the international community is already
giving practical assistance. We tried to find out that if it is
possible to consider free and fair processes in a country where the
media are controlled by the president. Anthony Godfry only said that
they will rely on the evaluations of the World Bank with regard to
fair governance.
The speakers declined to say how and with whose help the MCA is going
to evaluate he state of political and civil freedoms, fair governance
and transparency in elections, but they noted that the press will have
importance, and international observers will be observing the elections
in Armenia. It was not clear whose evaluation of the elections will
shape the opinion of the MCA. For its part, MCA Armenia guarantees
that thee will be no corruption. Alex Russin, the director of the MCC
Program for Armenia stated that this is an investment in the future of
Armenia, and they are interested in the right use of these funds. He
believes that transparency will be helpful for entitled spending of
these funds.
Meanwhile, Ara Hovsepyan, the chief executive of the MCA Armenia
advised not to focus on political problems. "The country may do
well in political matters, but the MCA program may be uneffective
and pointless."