Lobbying records in Washington revealed last week a one-month contract between the government and the Alston & Bird law firm worth $10,000. It was signed on September 15 by Armenian Ambassador to the United States Varuzhan Nersesyan and Bob Dole, a former pro-Armenian U.S. senator who now works as a special counsel at Alston & Bird.

“We will assist the Republic of Armenia in its efforts to build on the strategic partnership with the United States in advance of planned diplomatic talks in October of 2020,” the 97-year-old Dole said in a letter to Nersesyan.

“During the course of this engagement, Alston & Bird will monitor current events relevant to US-Armenia relations and provide strategic counsel with respect to improvement of that relationship,” he wrote. “These services may include outreach to United States Government officials as well as Members of Congress and their staffs.”

The lobbying firm will help Yerevan prepare for the final round of the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue which will take place in Washington next month. The Armenian delegation is expected to be headed by Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian.

“The format and level of the final meeting is still being discussed,” said Armella Shakarian, head of the U.S. and Canada desk at the Armenian Foreign Ministry. It should be ascertained over the next week, she said.

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