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Department of US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Nov 3 2012
Washington: U.S. Response at OSCE to Armenian Envoy Hovakimian
We welcome our former colleague, Deputy Foreign Minister Hovakimian,
back to the Permanent Council.
The United States and Armenia share a strong partnership based on
shared interests. We want to help Armenia in its quest to become a
prosperous democratic nation.
Regarding regional and global security, the United States appreciates
Armenia's contributions to our shared mission in Afghanistan and to
peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.
Concerning economic reform, private sector investors look for an open
business climate with predictable rules; an independent judiciary; and
transparent regulations, taxes, and customs. We recognize the progress
Armenia has made in this direction, and note that in the World Bank's
recent `Ease of Doing Business Report,' Armenia moved up from 50th to
32nd place in the global ranking. The United States looks forward to
continued cooperation with Armenia to improve its business climate
further.
We remain concerned about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. As a
co-chair of the Minsk Group, the United States is committed to working
with all the parties to find a way forward to enable people of the
region to live together in peace and dignity. We appreciate Foreign
Minister Nalbandian's recent travel to Paris to participate in talks
with his Azerbaijani counterpart and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and we
look forward to further productive meetings in the region later this
month.
Over twenty years of independence, Armenia has taken some positive
steps in its transition to democracy. We know from experience that
democracy must be built over time; it is an ongoing project. We are
pleased to work with Armenia on strengthening its democratic
institutions to promote transparency, advancing the right of free
speech, including as exercised by the media, rooting out corruption,
and respecting universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we
are committed to working with Armenia to continue these efforts. We
urge the Government of Armenia to live up to its commitments to the
systematic, fair, and transparent implementation of the rule of law.
We note that OSCE observers said of the May 6, 2012, parliamentary
elections that while there were improvements `characterized by a
competitive, vibrant and largely peaceful campaign,' there was `an
unequal playing field due to violations of campaign provisions and
cases of pressure on voters, as well as deficiencies in the complaints
and appeals process....' The OSCE further remarked that `the general
lack of confidence among political parties and the general public in
the integrity of the electoral process is an issue of great concern,
despite all stakeholders underscoring their commitment to hold
elections in accordance with international standards.'
We hope that Armenia will work with civil society, the OSCE, and other
international partners to ensure that the conduct of the presidential
elections in February 2013 will address these concerns. To this end,
we welcome the Government of Armenia's formation of an Election
Working Group, as well as the briefing given by the Working Group to
OSCE participating States' ambassadors in Yerevan on October 26. We
are pleased that the Working Group is striving to implement eighteen
of ODIHR's twenty-six recommendations after observing the May
parliamentary elections. We encourage the Working Group to work
closely with ODIHR on the remaining eight recommendations in the
run-up to the February 2013 presidential elections, and to pay special
attention to those recommendations related to the voter registration
list.
For more information please visit: http://www.humanrights.gov
Nov 3 2012
Washington: U.S. Response at OSCE to Armenian Envoy Hovakimian
We welcome our former colleague, Deputy Foreign Minister Hovakimian,
back to the Permanent Council.
The United States and Armenia share a strong partnership based on
shared interests. We want to help Armenia in its quest to become a
prosperous democratic nation.
Regarding regional and global security, the United States appreciates
Armenia's contributions to our shared mission in Afghanistan and to
peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.
Concerning economic reform, private sector investors look for an open
business climate with predictable rules; an independent judiciary; and
transparent regulations, taxes, and customs. We recognize the progress
Armenia has made in this direction, and note that in the World Bank's
recent `Ease of Doing Business Report,' Armenia moved up from 50th to
32nd place in the global ranking. The United States looks forward to
continued cooperation with Armenia to improve its business climate
further.
We remain concerned about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. As a
co-chair of the Minsk Group, the United States is committed to working
with all the parties to find a way forward to enable people of the
region to live together in peace and dignity. We appreciate Foreign
Minister Nalbandian's recent travel to Paris to participate in talks
with his Azerbaijani counterpart and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and we
look forward to further productive meetings in the region later this
month.
Over twenty years of independence, Armenia has taken some positive
steps in its transition to democracy. We know from experience that
democracy must be built over time; it is an ongoing project. We are
pleased to work with Armenia on strengthening its democratic
institutions to promote transparency, advancing the right of free
speech, including as exercised by the media, rooting out corruption,
and respecting universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we
are committed to working with Armenia to continue these efforts. We
urge the Government of Armenia to live up to its commitments to the
systematic, fair, and transparent implementation of the rule of law.
We note that OSCE observers said of the May 6, 2012, parliamentary
elections that while there were improvements `characterized by a
competitive, vibrant and largely peaceful campaign,' there was `an
unequal playing field due to violations of campaign provisions and
cases of pressure on voters, as well as deficiencies in the complaints
and appeals process....' The OSCE further remarked that `the general
lack of confidence among political parties and the general public in
the integrity of the electoral process is an issue of great concern,
despite all stakeholders underscoring their commitment to hold
elections in accordance with international standards.'
We hope that Armenia will work with civil society, the OSCE, and other
international partners to ensure that the conduct of the presidential
elections in February 2013 will address these concerns. To this end,
we welcome the Government of Armenia's formation of an Election
Working Group, as well as the briefing given by the Working Group to
OSCE participating States' ambassadors in Yerevan on October 26. We
are pleased that the Working Group is striving to implement eighteen
of ODIHR's twenty-six recommendations after observing the May
parliamentary elections. We encourage the Working Group to work
closely with ODIHR on the remaining eight recommendations in the
run-up to the February 2013 presidential elections, and to pay special
attention to those recommendations related to the voter registration
list.
For more information please visit: http://www.humanrights.gov