U.S. to remain partner of Armenia in spite of its wish to join Customs Union - ambassador
YEREVAN. Sept 18 (Interfax) - 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.