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Ambassador Kirakossian's New Year 2005 Address

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  • Ambassador Kirakossian's New Year 2005 Address

    PRESS RELEASE
    December 29, 2004
    Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
    2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
    Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
    Email: [email protected]; Web: www.armeniaemb.org

    Address to the Armenian American Community by Ambassador Extraordinary and
    Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America,
    Dr. Arman Kirakossian

    Dear compatriots,

    Please accept my cordial greetings on the festivities of New Year and the
    Armenian Christmas! I am convinced that the year 2005 will bring new
    achievements for the Armenian people in Armenia, Artsakh, as well as in the
    Diaspora.

    It is a tradition to assess the past year's events, results, and
    achievements in retrospect. While 2004 was an election year in the United
    States, and therefore characterized by the predominance of domestic
    politics, the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations continued to make progress
    in a natural fashion. U.S.-Armenian dialog and cooperation in the political
    and security areas were further strengthened. The U.S. Government played an
    important and positive role in the process of peaceful settlement of the
    Nagorno Karabakh conflict, in its capacity as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk
    Group. The military cooperation between Armenia and the United States
    acquired new quality, as the Armenian Armed Forces and Kansas National Guard
    signed a State Partnership Program, and two high ranking Armenian military
    officers, Chief of General Staff Col. General Mikayel Harutyunian and Deputy
    Defense Minister Lt. General Artur Aghabekyan came to the U.S. on an
    official visit. The Congress increased military assistance to Armenia to
    8.75 million dollars, reiterating the principle of parity in U.S. military
    assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    Especially satisfying are the results in U.S.-Armenian economic and
    commercial relations. Only in the first ten months of 2004, Armenian exports
    to the U.S. grew by 36%; the United States is one of Armenia's main trade
    partners. The U.S. Congress allocated 75 million dollars and 3 million
    dollars towards U.S. assistance programs in Armenia and Karabakh,
    respectively. In November, the Congress passed a measure granting permanent
    normal trade relations to Armenia. Armenian economy's solid macroeconomic
    performance and prospects for growth were acknowledged this year, when the
    U.S. Government selected Armenia as eligible for a new mechanism for foreign
    assistance it had recently initiated, the Millennium Challenge Account
    programs for 2004 and 2005. U.S.-Armenian cooperation in science,
    technology, education, and culture continued unabated. Of particular
    importance is the comprehensive and descriptive report on the present state
    and future of Science and Technology sector in Armenia, prepared and
    published by a prominent U.S. scientific institution, the National Academies
    of Science.

    Dear compatriots,

    On behalf of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Armenia in the
    United States, I thank all of our Armenian-American compatriots who have in
    many ways helped to address issues relating to Armenia and to promote
    Armenia's economic growth. I want to assure you how greatly Homeland Armenia
    appreciates your assistance and your efforts, whether in lobbying on
    Armenian issues in U.S. Congress and state legislatures, helping Armenian
    diplomatic missions, investing in Armenia, or simply visiting Armenia as
    tourists.

    On behalf of the Embassy staff and my family, I wish you a merry Christmas,
    and happiness and peace in New Year 2005!
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