USA TO DONATE $2 MILLION TO ARMENIAN LAW-ENFORCEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On July 13, 2005 US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and Armenian Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian will sign the Protocol on Amendment to the Letter of Agreement on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Armenia. Under this amendment, the US Government will provide $2,411,000.00 to the Government of Armenia for six projects. These projects will include regional law enforcement computer network development, law enforcement academy development, counter-trafficking in persons assistance, Border Guard and Customs regional training facilities development, criminal law reform program, and legal socialization program. Since the signing of the original Letter of Agreement on June 11, 2001, the Government of the United States has provided over $5 million for law enforcement assistance in Armenia. Some of the projects completed or nearing completion include installing computer classrooms and other classroom equipment in the Police Academy, Police Training Center and the Procuracy Training Center; providing computer equipment to the Anti-Trafficking offices at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Procuracy, and the Forensic Lab; and providing evidence collection equipment to the police, the Police Academy and the Forensic Lab. The US Embassy remains committed to working with the Government of Armenia to help modernize the criminal justice system in Armenia, IA Regnum reported.