PRESS RELEASE                                                      
October 24, 2007

Prime Minister of Armenia Visits the United States, Meets Top Leaders

Prime Minister of Armenia, Mr. Serzh Sargsyan was the United States from October 17 to 23, 2007 for high-level meetings with U.S. leadership, including the Congressional leaders, as well as to take part in the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Prime Minister Sargsyan had meetings with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to discuss U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations and regional security issues, and presented to them the programs of the Armenian Government to further promote economic growth and continue political and economic reforms in Armenia. Prime Minister Sargsyan also discussed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, once again reiterating Armenia’s commitment to a negotiated, peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. During his meeting with Secretary Gates, Prime Minister Sargsyan also discussed ways for Armenia’s continuing involvement in the international coalition, in particular, in the rehabilitation activities in Iraq. During his visit, Serzh Sargsyan also met with U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid and Democratic Majority Whip Senator Richard Durbin.

On October 18, Prime Minister Sargsyan met with John Danilovich, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation to discuss the progress of Armenia’s $235 million compact. Prime Minister Sargsyan noted the MCA compact’s goals of promoting economic growth in rural Armenia and reducing poverty were entirely compatible with the government’s goals of just governance, economic freedom, and investing in people.

As part of his visit, Prime Minister Sargsyan traveled to Los Angeles on October 19-20, where he met with the leadership of the Lincy Foundation. On the evening of October 19, the Armenian Prime Minister was hosted at a banquet organized by the USC Institute of Armenian Studies and attended by the Armenian-American community leaders. Later in Washington, Prime Minister Sargsyan met with the heads of the ANCA, USA-PAC, and the Armenian Assembly of America.

On October 21, Prime Minister Sargsyan attended the opening session of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF. On the same day, he met the newly-appointed head of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, to discuss the IMF programs in Armenia. The Prime Minister also had a number of meetings with World Bank top executives, including World Bank Managing Director Graeme Wheeler and Vice President Shigeo Katsu. Later that day, the Prime Minister had a meeting with President of the National Democratic Institute Ken Wollack. Ambassador Tatoul Markarian accompanied the Prime Minister during all his meetings.

On October 23, Prime Minister Sargsyan presided over the opening of the U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force, during which an Agreement on Civil Aviation was signed, paving way for direct flights between the United States and Armenia. The visit concluded with a reception at the Armenian Embassy, which brought together high-level U.S. government officials, Congressmen, and leaders of the Armenian-American organizations. Among the guests were U.S. Chief of Protocol Ambassador Nancy Brinker, Undersecretary of State Reuben Jeffrey, Ambassador John Danilovich, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus Rep. Frank Pallone, Co-Chair of the U.S.-Armenia Task Force Thomas Adams, former U.S. Ambassadors to Armenia.

Prime Minister Sargsyan met with several news agencies and newspapers during his trip, including interviews with the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, and Reuters.