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U.S. TO REMAIN PARTNER OF ARMENIA IN SPITE OF ITS WISH TO JOIN CUSTOMS UNION - AMBASSADOR
Interfax, Russia
September 18, 2013 Wednesday 11:59 AM MSK
YEREVAN. Sept 18
The Armenian authorities' decision to join the Customs Union will have
no effect on Armenian-U.S. relations, U.S. Ambassador to Yerevan John
Heffern said.
Armenian-U.S. relations rest on a mutual interest in Armenia's success,
he said in an interview with the Radio Liberty Armenian service. The
United States has other interests in that region, as well, such as
the Karabakh peace process and Armenian-Turkish normalization, the
ambassador said, adding he could not see how the decision pertaining
to the Customs Union could influence the aforesaid regional problems.
The main question is about a possible effect on Armenia's internal
reforms, the diplomat said. In his words, the Armenian leaders assured
the United States and the European Union in private conversations and
publicly they intended to carry on the reforms. The U.S. will continue
to encourage and support that process as much as it can, he said.
The diplomat expressed an opinion that Western partners could be of
use for Armenia. He said he was confident that the course towards
the EU could be the force to guide Armenia along the right path of
democracy and supremacy of law. On the other hand, Armenia chooses
a path on its own, and there is nothing in the Customs Union to
hamper Armenia's implementation of the reforms publicly pledged by
the Armenian president and prime minister," Heffern said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian told his Polish counterpart
Radoslaw Sikorski in Warsaw on Tuesday that Yerevan intended to develop
comprehensive cooperation with the EU but not at the expense of its
relations with Russia.
Te mk
Interfax, Russia
September 18, 2013 Wednesday 11:59 AM MSK
YEREVAN. Sept 18
The Armenian authorities' decision to join the Customs Union will have
no effect on Armenian-U.S. relations, U.S. Ambassador to Yerevan John
Heffern said.
Armenian-U.S. relations rest on a mutual interest in Armenia's success,
he said in an interview with the Radio Liberty Armenian service. The
United States has other interests in that region, as well, such as
the Karabakh peace process and Armenian-Turkish normalization, the
ambassador said, adding he could not see how the decision pertaining
to the Customs Union could influence the aforesaid regional problems.
The main question is about a possible effect on Armenia's internal
reforms, the diplomat said. In his words, the Armenian leaders assured
the United States and the European Union in private conversations and
publicly they intended to carry on the reforms. The U.S. will continue
to encourage and support that process as much as it can, he said.
The diplomat expressed an opinion that Western partners could be of
use for Armenia. He said he was confident that the course towards
the EU could be the force to guide Armenia along the right path of
democracy and supremacy of law. On the other hand, Armenia chooses
a path on its own, and there is nothing in the Customs Union to
hamper Armenia's implementation of the reforms publicly pledged by
the Armenian president and prime minister," Heffern said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian told his Polish counterpart
Radoslaw Sikorski in Warsaw on Tuesday that Yerevan intended to develop
comprehensive cooperation with the EU but not at the expense of its
relations with Russia.
Te mk