YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. United States Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills says relations with Armenia have always been of great interest and significance for America and the American government.

Speaking to the Voice of America, the Ambassador said they expect to cooperate with the new Armenian government.

“I believe that the priorities of the new government are important – make the economy fairer for all, improve the human right protection situation, end corruption. These are priorities which we too would like to see implemented, and the embassy and the US government expect to work with the Armenian new government to help the new government in realizing its goals. It is going to be pretty hard. I am sure that Armenians are wise enough to realize this. Going out to the streets, protesting peacefully were challenges for citizens of Armenia, they accepted and successfully overcame. The difficult side of the issue is transforming these values into real actions,” Mills said.

He reassured that they will closely work with the Armenian government. According to the Ambassador, the main sector where the US can provide assistance and which is of great interest for both the Armenian government and US-based Armenians is boosting trade and investments.

“This was my and the embassy’s priority during the last three years, we even had certain successes before the latest events. 600 million dollar worth of American investments have been done in the Armenian economy in the last three years,” he said.

He said that trade grew 42% in 2017 against 2016. According to him, 30% growth has been recorded in the past 4 months also. “I think if the government succeeds in overcoming corruption and ensuring independent judicial sector then trade volumes will grow even higher because as an Ambassador I have heard numerously during the past three years both from American and Armenian entrepreneurs that the main obstacle for trade and business is the feeling that there are no equal conditions in Armenia and the system was more favorable for some. If the government is able to overcome this, I think a true opportunity exists, a true future of major trade and investments from the United States, which I believe is the greatest support we can provide for Armenia,” the Ambassador said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan