YEREVAN. - We are prepared to work with all those State structures firmly determined to combat corruption, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills said at the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Friday.  

The meeting was also attended by USAID Armenia Mission Director Deborah Grieser, the Government press-service informed Armenian News – NEWS.am.

Karen Karapetyan briefed the guests on the details of a number of bills aimed at increasing the effectiveness of anti-corruption actions.

“In terms of achieving consistency in the fight against corruption, I believe it crucial to ensure the public’s proactive civil position, provide a stronger Government-society feedback and build on constructive cooperation with partner organizations. I would like to emphasize once again that our Government is open to discussion and proposals,” the Premier said.

Ambassador Mills, for his part, expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the Government in the fight against corruption and welcomed the Premier’s public statements and actions in this regard. “You may rest assured of the United States’ commitment to supporting Armenia’s anticorruption program. We are prepared to work with all those State structures firmly determined to combat corruption,” he stressed.

Upon the Ambassador’s request, Karen Karapetyan briefed him on the goals and tasks set before the independent preventive anti-corruption body to be established under the Senior Officials’ Ethics Committee.

In this context, reference was also made to the bill criminalizing the illicit enrichment of officials.