I was sorry to hear of Secretary Powell's resignation. It has been a pleasure working with him and his team. I can happily say that during his four year tenure, Armenian-US relations have deepened and our agenda has become more multifaceted.

Secretary Powell closely followed developments in our region and wanted conflicts to be resolved and normal relations to be established between neighbors. Under his leadership, Armenia has been a participant in the US anti-terrorism coalition and has been included in the Millennium Challenge Account.

We value greatly Secretary Powell's great role in each of these and other areas. At each of our meetings, it has been very clear that Secretary Powell's deep, multifaceted knowledge, personal integrity, and professional commitment all came together to better serve all of us who have had the opportunity and good fortune to work with him. We wish him well, and look forward to working with his successor.