WASHINGTON. – The Obama Administration has strengthened U.S. relations with Armenia, said U.S. Ambassador to Armenia nominee John Heffern in his testimony during the hearings in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

“We have expanded development assistance to Armenia in several areas, especially in governance, economic growth, and market competiveness, and maintained overall funding levels despite budget cuts in Europe and Eurasia,” Heffern noted. “If confirmed, I would like to work on expanding the U.S.-Armenia trade relationship, building on the already strong connections between Americans and Armenians, to foster more trade and investment between our countries.”

John Heffern stressed that on the political front, the U.S. has encouraged Armenia to improve its human rights and democracy record.

“We have seen some positive developments this year, with the government releasing those still detained from the protests after the Armenian elections in 2008,” he added.

According to the Ambassador nominee, the forthcoming national elections in 2012 and 2013 in Armenia “are opportunities for the government of Armenia to demonstrate its commitment to democracy.”

In addition, through the OSCE Minsk Group, the U.S. supports Armenia and Azerbaijan as they work toward a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Heffern.