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ARMENIA DEBATES REASONS FOR MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CANCELLATION
by Marianna Grigoryan
EurasiaNet.org
APril 20 2011
NY
The decision to drop Armenia from the US-financed Millennium Challenge
development program has renewed debate about the status of democratic
reform in Armenia. The opposition, predictably, blames the government
for the decision; the government is keeping quiet, but some ruling
party representatives scoff that the decision is unjust.
US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch on April 15 indicated
that Armenia's failure to show progress in such "good governance"
areas as freedom of the press and assembly as among the reasons why
its Millennium Challenge compact would not be renewed when the $235.6
million, five-year program ends this September.
"I think this will encourage Armenia to boost the required indicators,
particularly, in terms of good governance," Ambassador Yovanovitch
told RFE/RL on a visit with Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian to two
irrigation canals repaired under the Millennium Challenge program.
The government has not yet issued an official response to the decision
to cancel Armenia's Millennium Challenge program, which focused on
the renovation of irrigation systems and reconstruction of rural roads.
Some observers believe, though, that Ambassador Yovanovitch's
assessment reflects the domestic political situation in Armenia, where
protests calling for greater civil liberties, led by ex-President
Levon Ter Petrosian's Armenian National Congress, started up again in
February; others - namely, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia --
consider the ambassador's evaluation wide of the mark.
"Back in 2008 [following the deaths of 10 people in a police crackdown
on protests against presidential election results - ed], the US side
spoke about these indicators, but we've recorded much progress in
the past three years and have demonstrated a serious political will
[for reform]," asserted Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson
Eduard Sharmazanov. "We have had progress rather than regress during
the past few years. I don't think that sanctions promote democracy."
Sharmazanov described the government's anti-corruption campaign as
"notable" and underlined that "several high officials" have left their
posts; resignations for which, at the time, official reasons were
not given. "Steps" were also taken "in dialogue with the opposition,"
he added.
Some analysts, though, believe the decision is a wake-up call for the
government. After the "warning" in 2008, Armenia saw its Millennium
Challenge compact in 2009 reduced by roughly $68 million, a decrease
that cut into its road construction plans.
"This is a signal indicating that we are being excluded from the
cooperation framework," political scientist Anush Sedrakian argued
in reference to the decision to drop Armenia out of the Millennium
Challenge program. "This is a serious message for our authorities
-- a sign saying that you are becoming an outsider, you do not meet
our standards and cannot be a part of a new, big, global network of
full-fledged cooperation."
Armenia, however, still has recourse to other financial assistance
networks. The International Monetary Fund last week dispatched a
team to Yerevan to evaluate the status of economic reforms as part
of its review for a possible $58 million loan to Armenia. A loan of
$55 million was made in December 2010; the country can receive up to
$392 million by 2013.
Government officials and members of the ruling Republican Party have
not addressed the degree to which the loss of the Millennium Challenge
program might hamper Armenia's economic development goals. But
one senior Republican Party parliamentarian cautioned that the
program's loss could undermine public trust in the government and
its preparations for the 2012 parliamentary elections.
"[The ambassador's statement can have a negative impact on the people's
trust towards the authorities while we are doing our best to strengthen
this trust," argued Hovhannes Sahakian.
One political analyst takes that notion a step further, arguing that
the US government sees canceling the Millennium Challenge program
amidst opposition protests as a way to pressure President Serzh
Sargsyan's government for further democratic change.
"This means that the Armenian authorities know that the US has been
their partner so far, and if they think this will continue in the
future as well, the US is signaling it is no longer like that,"
claimed Ruben Mehrabian, a political analyst at Yerevan's Armenian
Center for National and International Studies.
The US has given no indication that the protests factored into the
Millennium Challenge decision, but has made clear that it sees the
2012 vote and the 2013 presidential election as a chance for Armenia
to improve its performance on "good governance."
"As Armenia enters into an election cycle, with parliamentary elections
next year and presidential elections the year after, there is an
opportunity to boost these indicators," said Ambassador Yovanovitch.
Editor's note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter based in
Yerevan and editor of MediaLab.am.
From: A. Papazian
by Marianna Grigoryan
EurasiaNet.org
APril 20 2011
NY
The decision to drop Armenia from the US-financed Millennium Challenge
development program has renewed debate about the status of democratic
reform in Armenia. The opposition, predictably, blames the government
for the decision; the government is keeping quiet, but some ruling
party representatives scoff that the decision is unjust.
US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch on April 15 indicated
that Armenia's failure to show progress in such "good governance"
areas as freedom of the press and assembly as among the reasons why
its Millennium Challenge compact would not be renewed when the $235.6
million, five-year program ends this September.
"I think this will encourage Armenia to boost the required indicators,
particularly, in terms of good governance," Ambassador Yovanovitch
told RFE/RL on a visit with Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian to two
irrigation canals repaired under the Millennium Challenge program.
The government has not yet issued an official response to the decision
to cancel Armenia's Millennium Challenge program, which focused on
the renovation of irrigation systems and reconstruction of rural roads.
Some observers believe, though, that Ambassador Yovanovitch's
assessment reflects the domestic political situation in Armenia, where
protests calling for greater civil liberties, led by ex-President
Levon Ter Petrosian's Armenian National Congress, started up again in
February; others - namely, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia --
consider the ambassador's evaluation wide of the mark.
"Back in 2008 [following the deaths of 10 people in a police crackdown
on protests against presidential election results - ed], the US side
spoke about these indicators, but we've recorded much progress in
the past three years and have demonstrated a serious political will
[for reform]," asserted Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson
Eduard Sharmazanov. "We have had progress rather than regress during
the past few years. I don't think that sanctions promote democracy."
Sharmazanov described the government's anti-corruption campaign as
"notable" and underlined that "several high officials" have left their
posts; resignations for which, at the time, official reasons were
not given. "Steps" were also taken "in dialogue with the opposition,"
he added.
Some analysts, though, believe the decision is a wake-up call for the
government. After the "warning" in 2008, Armenia saw its Millennium
Challenge compact in 2009 reduced by roughly $68 million, a decrease
that cut into its road construction plans.
"This is a signal indicating that we are being excluded from the
cooperation framework," political scientist Anush Sedrakian argued
in reference to the decision to drop Armenia out of the Millennium
Challenge program. "This is a serious message for our authorities
-- a sign saying that you are becoming an outsider, you do not meet
our standards and cannot be a part of a new, big, global network of
full-fledged cooperation."
Armenia, however, still has recourse to other financial assistance
networks. The International Monetary Fund last week dispatched a
team to Yerevan to evaluate the status of economic reforms as part
of its review for a possible $58 million loan to Armenia. A loan of
$55 million was made in December 2010; the country can receive up to
$392 million by 2013.
Government officials and members of the ruling Republican Party have
not addressed the degree to which the loss of the Millennium Challenge
program might hamper Armenia's economic development goals. But
one senior Republican Party parliamentarian cautioned that the
program's loss could undermine public trust in the government and
its preparations for the 2012 parliamentary elections.
"[The ambassador's statement can have a negative impact on the people's
trust towards the authorities while we are doing our best to strengthen
this trust," argued Hovhannes Sahakian.
One political analyst takes that notion a step further, arguing that
the US government sees canceling the Millennium Challenge program
amidst opposition protests as a way to pressure President Serzh
Sargsyan's government for further democratic change.
"This means that the Armenian authorities know that the US has been
their partner so far, and if they think this will continue in the
future as well, the US is signaling it is no longer like that,"
claimed Ruben Mehrabian, a political analyst at Yerevan's Armenian
Center for National and International Studies.
The US has given no indication that the protests factored into the
Millennium Challenge decision, but has made clear that it sees the
2012 vote and the 2013 presidential election as a chance for Armenia
to improve its performance on "good governance."
"As Armenia enters into an election cycle, with parliamentary elections
next year and presidential elections the year after, there is an
opportunity to boost these indicators," said Ambassador Yovanovitch.
Editor's note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter based in
Yerevan and editor of MediaLab.am.
From: A. Papazian