Michael C. Lemmon
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
8 November 2000

Mr. Roger Benton
ATG-Foundation Director
Yerevan, Armenia

Dear Roger,

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the essential role that you played in the recently completed Winter Wheat Seed Redistribution Program. As you well know, this program was designed to assist those subsistence farmers suffering from this summer’s drought in Armenia. Largely through your unselfish efforts this program exceeded our expectations and delivered 1,741 metric tons of winter wheat seed to over 12,000 farmers in time for the fall 2000 planting. This was truly a significant accomplishment.

Please pass on our thanks to the many fine and dedicated employees that you have in ATGF that have assisted in this endeavor. Among them, of course, are Roger Culver, Gary Pigg, Gagik Mkertchian, Arkhady Markarian, Ashot Mherian, Mkhtar Grigorian, Tomik Hakobian, Areg Azoyan, Jemma Karapetian, Vaghinak Kamrastian, Rafael Sajakov, Rubic Hovsepian, Manouk Poghosian, Vazgen Ohanian, Vanik Simonian, Freda Hakobian, Gurgen Yeghanian, Aram Bagdasarian, Rubic Sardarian, and David Arzumarian. Their contributions have not gone unnoticed and we owe them a great deal of gratitude.

Roger, your dedication, initiative, and resourcefulness have been exceptional in this project and gives new meaning to the saying that, “when there is a will there is a way.” I commend you for your willingness to devote your time and efforts to “getting the job done.”

Finally, I want to assure you that I am aware and supportive of the ATGF efforts and the programs that you are executing here in Armenia. I wish you continued success in your endeavors to improve agriculture conditions in Armenia and to thereby favorably impact on the lives of many Armenians.
Sincerely,

Michael C. Lemmon
Ambassador

cc: Ambassador William Taylor, Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to NIS, DOS
Dr. Arthur Hazarabedian, Chairman, ATG Board of Directors
Mr. Varoujan Der Simonian, Executive Director, ATG