InternationalWashington briefing: U.S. praised for aiding Armenia
Published: Thursday July 09, 2009
President Serge Sargsian with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, July 7, 2009. Presidential Press Service
Washington - President Serge Sargsian on July 7 visited the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan to offer congratulations on the occasion of America's Independence Day. He reiterated Armenia's interest in cooperation, the president's press office reported.
"We view America not only as a powerful state, not only as Armenia's largest donor of humanitarian assistance, but also as a state which lent support to our people in the direst times of our history, opened itself for a great number of our people, provided with the opportunity to advance and bring their contribution to the empowerment of the United States - preserving at the same time their national identity," Mr. Sargsian was quoted as saying during the embassy visit.
[Speaking at a reception later that day at the Embassy, Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian was more explicit, noting that the United States let support to the Armenian people during the Genocide. -Ed.]
According to the presidential press service, Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in turn shared her impressions from the two-week tour of Armenian American communities she just completed.
Since his election last year, Mr. Sargsian resumed the tradition of visiting the U.S. Embassy around the Fourth of July. The practice was first introduced under President Levon Ter-Petrossian, but was interrupted after U.S. criticism of Mr. Ter-Petrossian's re-election in 1996. It was then resumed under President Robert Kocharian, only to be interrupted again after U.S. criticism of his re-election in 2003.
