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BAKU: Millennium Challenge Corp. sends strong message to Armenia

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  • BAKU: Millennium Challenge Corp. sends strong message to Armenia

    APA, Azerbaijan
    March 12 2009


    Millennium Challenge Corporation sends strong message to Armenia

    [ 12 Mar 2009 11:13 ]


    Washington. Zaur Hasanov `APA. The Millennium Challenge Corporation
    (MCC) Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting, the first chaired
    by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and attended by new
    Board member Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, to discuss
    MCC programs generally and review in detail MCC's current partnerships
    with Armenia and Nicaragua .

    Given ongoing concerns about governance issues in Armenia and
    Nicaragua, the Board decided to convene an extraordinary interim
    review session prior to its June meeting to assess its partnerships
    with these countries. The new Board will make a final determination
    regarding MCC's ongoing engagement in these two countries once it has
    had time to assess the current status.

    As a result of the meeting, the Board reiterated its concerns about
    the status of democratic governance in Armenia and will not lift the
    hold on MCC assistance for the rehabilitation of rural roads, while
    allowing the government of Armenia to fund construction. MCC will
    continue to provide assistance for irrigation infrastructure, which is
    well underway and assists Armenian farmers. The Board will review the
    current hold on funding road activities at a special session prior to
    the June Board meeting.

    `The Board's decision today signals to the government that it has
    failed over several years to address concerns raised not only by MCC
    and other U.S. Government agencies, but the international community as
    well. It's now incumbent upon the government of Armenia to restore the
    Board's confidence to its commitment to democracy and good governance.
    MCC has given the government of Armenia every opportunity to make
    meaningful reforms and will continue its direct communication about
    its expectations moving forward,' said Acting MCC Chief Executive
    Officer Rodney Bent.

    The Millennium Challenge Corporation is a unique government agency,
    established by former President George Bush, that includes private and
    public sector members on its Board. The MCC Board of Directors is
    chaired by Secretary Clinton and also includes Vice-Chair Secretary of
    the Treasury Timothy Geithner, other government officials and
    representatives of the private sector.
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