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VARTAN OSKANIAN: PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY MUST BE TRANSFORMED TO TRADITIONS OF DEMOCRACY IN OUR COUNTRY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 28 2006
WASHINGTON, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. A ceremony of
signing the compact between the Millennium Challenges Corporation
(MCC) and the Republic of Armenia took place at the State Department's
Benjamin Franklin room on March 27. The ceremony was attended by
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian, Chief Advisor to RA President on Economic Issues Vahram
Nersisiants, Armenian Ambassador to the US Tatul Margarian and
the US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans. Executive Officer of the
US Millennium Challenge Corporation, Ambassador John Danilovich
and Armenia's Minister of Finance and Economy, Vardan Khachatryan
signed a $235.65 million Compact between MCC and the Republic of
Armenia. According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department,
Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and MCC Chair, US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke at the signing. Minister
Oskanian thanked on behalf of the President of the Republic of
Armenia and the Armenian government President Bush, Secretary Rice,
Ambassador Danilovich, the US government and the American people,
for including the Republic of Armenia in the Millennium Challenge
Compact. V. Oskanian noted that although one third of Armenia's
population continues to live in poverty, two-thirds of the rural
communities are not directly connected to a central water distribution
system, and most of the rural roads do not provide the necessary
access, on the other hand, Armenia has managed, against great odds,
with an unresolved conflict and with closed borders, to be ranked
first in the world in best utilization of foreign assistance, to
privatize and to legislate such that Armenia's economy is ranked
among the world's most liberal, and to register the highest economic
growth in the region. "With this signing of the Millennium Challenge
Compact, Armenia is aware that we have the obligation to build on the
confidence that has been placed in our government and people. Just
as economic development is a facilitator of democratization, so
is democracy a tool for further and deeper economic development,"
V. Oskanian said. "Armenia is among the world's youngest democracies
and our democratic and economic reforms are irreversible. Our
significant progress notwithstanding, we recognize that much remains to
be done to make these reforms comprehensive. We know that corruption
must not be tolerated and that the law must rule, that the principles
of democracy must be transformed to traditions of democracy in our
country," the RA Foreign Minister stated.
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 28 2006
WASHINGTON, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. A ceremony of
signing the compact between the Millennium Challenges Corporation
(MCC) and the Republic of Armenia took place at the State Department's
Benjamin Franklin room on March 27. The ceremony was attended by
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian, Chief Advisor to RA President on Economic Issues Vahram
Nersisiants, Armenian Ambassador to the US Tatul Margarian and
the US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans. Executive Officer of the
US Millennium Challenge Corporation, Ambassador John Danilovich
and Armenia's Minister of Finance and Economy, Vardan Khachatryan
signed a $235.65 million Compact between MCC and the Republic of
Armenia. According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department,
Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and MCC Chair, US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke at the signing. Minister
Oskanian thanked on behalf of the President of the Republic of
Armenia and the Armenian government President Bush, Secretary Rice,
Ambassador Danilovich, the US government and the American people,
for including the Republic of Armenia in the Millennium Challenge
Compact. V. Oskanian noted that although one third of Armenia's
population continues to live in poverty, two-thirds of the rural
communities are not directly connected to a central water distribution
system, and most of the rural roads do not provide the necessary
access, on the other hand, Armenia has managed, against great odds,
with an unresolved conflict and with closed borders, to be ranked
first in the world in best utilization of foreign assistance, to
privatize and to legislate such that Armenia's economy is ranked
among the world's most liberal, and to register the highest economic
growth in the region. "With this signing of the Millennium Challenge
Compact, Armenia is aware that we have the obligation to build on the
confidence that has been placed in our government and people. Just
as economic development is a facilitator of democratization, so
is democracy a tool for further and deeper economic development,"
V. Oskanian said. "Armenia is among the world's youngest democracies
and our democratic and economic reforms are irreversible. Our
significant progress notwithstanding, we recognize that much remains to
be done to make these reforms comprehensive. We know that corruption
must not be tolerated and that the law must rule, that the principles
of democracy must be transformed to traditions of democracy in our
country," the RA Foreign Minister stated.