YEREVAN. - 168 Zham daily interviewed US Embassy in Armenia’s Political Affairs diplomat, Christopher Anderson, with respect to the Armenian National Assembly Speaker Samvel Nikoyan’s newly formed initiative, that is, the Electoral Process and Electoral Code Application Monitoring Working Group. And below is an excerpt from the interview.

How do you evaluate the formation of this structure in the [Armenian] parliament?

It is a good initiative that all political parties are working together. Also, the civil society is involved in the carrying out of that oversight.

Another [similar] structure is formed outside of the parliament. How do you evaluate it, and could you take part in their activities, too?

We have not yet received an invitation from that structure. The parliament, on the other hand, is a state structure, and it formally represents the representatives elected by the country’s citizens. We are included there as observers. Armenia’s society and [political] parties must get actively involved in this process.    

What is the meaning of these [parliamentary] elections for Armenia?

Holding of free and fair elections in Armenia is extremely important for our bilateral ties, and therefore we are carefully following the course of these elections.