WASHINGTON, Dc –In a congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, President Donald Trump expressed his readiness to work with Armenia on a host of areas of mutual interest.
The message reads:
“Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
Congratulations on your election. I look forward to working with you on the many areas of mutual interest for our two countries, including strengthening trade ties, democratic institutions, and regional security.
Progress on fighting corruption, bringing all political parties together, and peacefully solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will help these efforts and ensure Armenia’s bright future.”
Earlier last week US State Department said it will “work closely” with new Armenian government.
“The United States congratulates Nikol Pashinian as the new Prime Minister of Armenia,” a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, Heather Nauert, said in a statement released late last Tuesday.
“We look forward to working closely with the new government and with the people of Armenia on the many areas of shared interest between our countries, including increasing trade, working in support of democracy and rule of law, and safeguarding regional and global security,” she said.
Washington has closely monitored recent weeks’ dramatic developments in Armenia that have led to the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian and his replacement by Pashinian, the main organizer of nationwide anti-government protests. The State Department has repeatedly urged Armenia political factions to end the political crisis through dialogue.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell had phone conversations with Pashinian as well as Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on April 30. A few days earlier, the U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, Richard Mills, met with Pashinian and then acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetian to try to help ease political tensions in the country.