BUSH EXTENDS NO CONGRATULATION
Support A1+!The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Matthew Bryza who participated in the inauguration of President-Elect Serzh Sarkissian on April 9 gave an exclusive interview to Radio Liberty in which he spelled out interesting and important ideas regarding the political situation in Armenia. In particular, Matthew Bryza said the events of March 1 were unprecedented and dramatic steps are necessary to restore confidence that the country is moving in the right direction, Radio Liberty reports.
Bryza spoke of full restoration of all freedoms, freedom of press, peaceful assemblies and marches. It is highly important to release those people whose actions contained political elements rather than criminal elements. At the same time, investigation must be carried out, and the persons who committed election fraud and used violence should be punished, independent from which camp they are, the government or the opposition, Matthew Bryza stated. Therefore, he said restoration of confidence in the judicial system is a primary problem in this country.
With regard to his participation in the inauguration and answering the question whether his participation means that the United States considers the Armenian presidential election as democratic, Matthew Bryza said he is just a modest American diplomat who is responsible for this region and has arrived to establish effective ways of communication, hoping that cooperation between Armenia and the United States in all the spheres, including the issues of Karabakh and security, and Armenia will again launch democratic and economic reforms.
Matthew Bryza says he is neither the president nor the foreign minister of the United States, he is the deputy assistant secretary of state who is not indifferent toward this region and this country and is in charge of setting up relations and sustaining them. Matthew Bryza thinks it is important to sustain working relations with the main forces of Armenia, the president elect, the future government, the opposition and the civil society representatives.
Matthew Bryza also said he has not brought along any written message from the U.S. President George Bush, instead he has brought along some oral messages which he is going to pass to as many people as possible. As to the question when George Bush will congratulate Serzh Sarkissian, the U.S. diplomat said he cannot speak on behalf of his president. He said he thinks Washington will react to the course of events in Armenia at the top level, and when the citizens of Armenia show that they are satisfied with the path along which the country is moving, and the government makes dramatic moves, there will also be a statement by President Bush or Secretary Rice, Radio Liberty reports.
