As follows from the document, the American agency’s project in Armenia is being implemented by Tetra Tech. After additional funding is provided, its budget will be $15.7 million.
“With additional funding, Tetra Tech will provide technical assistance and other services to accelerate (implementation. -
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) key electricity projects that will increase the use of renewable energy sources and reduce Armenia’s dependence on Russian and Iranian natural gas,” the statement notes. document.
American analysts are concerned that Russia could allegedly “force” Armenia to abandon the chosen path of “democratic reforms,” including through levers in the energy sector.
“The governments of Armenia and the United States have serious concerns that Russia could use geo-economic leverage in the energy sector, including natural gas supplies, to force Armenia to abandon the (chosen -
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) path, threatening stability in the remaining democratic country in region,” USAID emphasizes.
Thus, according to the terms of additional funding, the contractor will “directly respond” to requests from the Armenian authorities to Washington for assistance in the energy sector in order to “mitigate the harmful economic impact while Armenia is trying to expand the range of geopolitical ties.”
American political scientist Malek Dudakov, in a conversation with RT, emphasized that Washington is seeking to remove Yerevan from the “sphere of influence of Russia.”
“We are seeing that Armenia is turning into a key country for Americans in the South Caucasus region. It is clear that they are trying to promote certain pro-American, pro-Western interests through it. It is important for them, firstly, to remove Armenia from Russia’s sphere of influence, and secondly, to create problems, given the largest Armenian diaspora in Russia,” the expert concluded.
Previously, the US State Department allocated $500 thousand to “expand the capabilities” of independent media in Armenia.