| 
				
				Join Date: Dec 2006 Age: 52 
				
				Rep Power: 27      | 
				 #cablegate wikileaks about Armenia секретные документы американских посольств про Армению в интернете Գաղտնի փաստաթղթեր Հայաստանի մասին 
 Продажа/вывоз через Армению оружия в Иран могло привести к санкциям против Армении. Помоему лишь избрание Обамы и подписание протоколов с Турцией спосло ССовцев от санкцийhttp://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable...ATE134490.html 
	Quote: 
	
		| VZCZCXYZ0003 OO RUEHWEB
 
 DE RUEHC #4490 3592211
 ZNY SSSSS ZZH
 O 242158Z DEC 08
 FM SECSTATE WASHDC
 TO AMEMBASSY YEREVAN IMMEDIATE 0000
 
 S E C R E T STATE 134490
 
 SIPDIS
 
 E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018
 TAGS: ETTC MASS OPDC PARM PREL AM
 SUBJECT: (S) LETTER FROM DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE
 REGARDING 2003 ARMENIAN ARMS PROCUREMENT FOR IRAN
 
 REFS: A. YEREVAN 657, B. State 97802
 
 Classified By: EUR/FO DAS Garber, Reasons 1.4 (b),
 (c), and (d).
 
 ¶1.  (U) Please deliver the following letter from Deputy Secretary
 Negroponte.  There will be no signed original.  Embassy should also
 propose discussions with the Government of Armenia in coming weeks.
 Suggested dates and team composition will be provided septel.
 Embassy Yerevan is requested to report response.
 
 ¶2.  (Secret/Rel Armenia) Begin Letter:
 
 
 Dear Mr. President:
 
 We value our positive relationship with your government,
 as we explore a range of shared interests, especially an agreement
 on Nagorno Karabakh and normalization of Armenia's relations with
 Turkey.  At the same time, we are dismayed by a serious  and,
 indeed, deadly - arms re-export case.
 
 Secretary Rice, Assistant Secretary Fried, Deputy Assistant
 Secretary Bryza, and Ambassador Yovanovitch have raised with you our
 deep concerns about Armenia's transfer of arms to Iran which
 resulted in the death and injury of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
 Notwithstanding the close relationship between our countries,
 neither the Administration nor the U.S. Congress can overlook this
 case.  By law, the transfer of these weapons requires us to consider
 whether there is a basis for the imposition of U.S. sanctions.  If
 sanctions are imposed, penalties could include the cutoff of U.S.
 assistance and certain export restrictions.
 
 To avoid such sanctions, it is essential that you present
 compelling evidence that your government is now in partnership with
 us to ensure such transfers do not occur in the future.
 
 To convince the United States that this will not happen again,
 we seek a written agreement from Armenia, memorializing its intent
 to implement measures that will prevent Armenia from becoming a
 source of weapons for Iran or other states or groups involved with
 terrorism and/or weapons proliferation.  Such measures include:
 
 -- Reform the Armenian Export Control Commission so its members are
 full time employees who exclusively work on export controls;
 
 -- Establish, at each point of entry into Armenia, Armenian teams
 dedicated to detecting and interdicting dual-use commodities and
 other contraband;
 
 -- Periodically accept unannounced visits by U.S. experts to assess
 the work of the teams;
 
 -- Harmonize Armenia's export control legislation with that of the
 EU;
 
 -- Update and make public Armenian export control lists,
 incorporating the control lists of the Wassenaar Arrangement,
 Missile Technology Control Regime, and other international control
 regimes;
 
 -- Ensure that Armenian-based brokers do not facilitate arms related
 transfers; and
 
 -- Consult with the United States on transfers to countries that are
 not member states of NATO or the EU, or participating states of the
 Wassenaar Arrangement.
 
 We are prepared to send a team as early as possible in the New
 Year to discuss this proposal further.  It is my hope that we can
 work together to forge a positive outcome which provides your
 government the opportunity to strengthen Armenia's export controls
 and for my government to assist you in this effort.
 
 Sincerely,
 John D. Negroponte
 
 End text of letter.
 
 ¶3.  (S) Background:  In 2003, Armenia facilitated Iran's purchase of
 rockets and machine guns.  In 2007, some of these weapons were
 recovered from two Shia militant attacks in which a United States
 soldier was killed and six others were injured in Iraq.  The
 Secretary discussed our concerns with President Sargsian on the
 margins of the UN General Assembly, but he denied any transfer
 occurred.  The direct role of high-level Armenian officials and the
 link of the weapons to an attack on U.S. forces make this case
 unique and highly troubling.  These transfers may provide a basis
 for sanctions pursuant to U.S. legal authorities.  We propose a
 series of steps that Armenia will need to take to prevent future
 transfers, which will be weighed in the consideration of sanctions.
 We hope to use the threat of sanctions as a tool to generate
 Armenian responsiveness so that we will not be forced to impose
 sanctions measures.
 
 ¶4.  (S) The Deputy Secretary is writing to President Sargsian and
 indicating that a team will be sent to Armenia to seek written
 agreement that Armenia will take steps to ensure that it does not
 become a source of weapons for Iran or other states or groups of
 concern.  The team will also present additional information that
 will make clear why the United States is convinced that the
 transfers happened and make it unreasonable for Sargsian to continue
 his denials.  We anticipate that the team will travel to Yerevan in
 the coming weeks, to provide sufficient time for the incoming
 Administration to be briefed on the situation.
 
 ¶5.  (S) Objective:  Our objective is to prevent Armenia from
 becoming a source of weapons for Iran or other states or groups of
 concern, without derailing a possible Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
 Embassy Yerevan should seek to convey the seriousness with which the
 United States views this issue and emphasize that the transfer of
 arms to Iran and subsequently to terrorists in Iraq, in particular
 transfers that resulted in the death of an American serviceman,
 cannot be overlooked by the United States.
 
 ¶6.  (U) Please contact EUR/PRA Matt Hardiman and ISN/CATR Margaret
 Mitchell with any questions or follow-up issues related to this case
 and slug any reporting on this issue for ISN and EUR.
 RICE
 |  
Про предусловия Анкары относительно армяно-туецких протоколов. Вывод войск из нагорного карабаха турция ставит как предусловие для ратификации...
http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable...ANKARA126.html 
	Quote: 
	
		| Armenia -------
 
 ¶19. (S) The signing of the Protocols to reestablish
 Turkish-Armenian relations and open the common border in
 Zurich on October 10 was a landmark for the region.  However,
 neither Turkey nor Armenia have taken steps toward
 ratification; the GOT argues that progress toward withdrawal
 of Armenian forces from Azerbaijani provinces surrounding
 Nagorno-Karabakh is a pre-condition.  (Note:  This was
 not/not part of the agreement, and not a position the U.S.
 supports.  End note.)  Future relations will nevertheless
 still be heavily linked to the 1915 "Armenian genocide"
 issue.  Any U.S. determination of the events of 1915 as
 "genocide" would set off a political firestorm in Turkey, and
 the effect on our bilateral relationship -- including
 political, military, and commercial aspects -- would be
 devastating.
 |  Алиев требует заявить, что независимость Арцаха не пруемлемо и надавить на Армению, чтоб она на это согласилась или изолировать Армению... Медведьев с Сочи давил на Саркисяна, но тот отступал и далее будет отступать надеясь на особое мнение Путина.
http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/cable...10BAKU134.html 
	Quote: 
	
		| VZCZCXRO2823 OO RUEHDBU
 DE RUEHKB #0134/01 0560815
 ZNY CCCCC ZZH
 O 250815Z FEB 10
 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
 TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2437
 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 3808
 RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 1573
 
 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BAKU 000134
 
 SIPDIS
 
 E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2020
 TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR ETRD AJ AM RS IR TU
 SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT TO U/S BURNS:  "YOU CAN'T
 BOIL TWO HEADS IN ONE POT"
 
 Classified By: Charge Donald Lu, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
 
 
 ¶1.  (C) Summary:  President Aliyev used this coarse street
 slang to describe the relationship between Russian President
 Medvedev and PM Putin, but he might well have used the same
 idiom to describe his concerns about Turkey-Armenia
 reconciliation and the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) Peace Process.
 He told U/S Burns that the "Sword of Damocles" of the April
 24 Armenian Remembrance Day is hanging over the NK Process,
 as well as the Turkey-Armenia normalization process.  He
 suggested that it would be easier if the Turkey-Armenia
 normalization could be considered after April in order to
 allow more time for progress on NK.  He also took the
 opportunity to press the USG to apply maximum pressure on
 Yerevan to make concessions on NK.  He stressed, "Now we are
 trying to be even more flexible."
 
 ¶2.  (C) Summary Continued:  On Iran, President Aliyev said he
 supported economic isolation and believed it could be
 effective if enforced by a broad coalition.  He complained
 about Iranian security provocations.  On a proposed
 battalion-sized Afghanistan contribution, Aliyev said that he
 would support sending a team to Georgia to observe the
 training being provided by EUCOM to Georgian troops headed
 for Afghanistan.  On energy cooperation, President Aliyev
 said that if the Turks demonstrate "constructive behavior"
 this year that a gas transit deal can happen.  Finally, on
 the jailed youth activists, though he made no firm
 commitments regarding their release, he said, "I think (a
 pardon or amnesty) can be done.  I had no intention to hurt
 anyone."  End Summary.
 
 Seeks Pressure on Yerevan to Resolve NK
 ---------------------------------------
 
 ¶3.  (C) Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Bill
 Burns began his hour-long meeting with President Ilham Aliyev
 by stressing that he was sent with the simple message that
 Washington wants to build our bilateral relations and create
 a stronger partnership.  He then offered his condolences for
 the three Azeri soldiers killed on the Line of Contact on
 February 18.  Aliyev responded that such events show that
 there is no peace, no peace treaty and no peacekeepers
 enforcing the cease-fire.  He worried more such incidents
 could happen.  Burns commented that such incidents
 underscored the urgency of finding a political solution on
 Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
 ¶4.  (C) The balance of Aliyev,s comments sought to convey
 that he was ready to move forward in the Minsk Group Process,
 but that international pressure would be needed if Armenia
 was to move forward.  He said that it is now time to find a
 final resolution, but Armenian President Sargsian wants to
 walk away from the process.  "I told the co-chairs that
 Armenia wants to delay as long as possible and escape at the
 end.""  He said that Azerbaijan was prepared to do its part
 to propel the talks forward.  "Now we will try to be even
 more flexible."
 
 ¶5.  (C) Aliyev outlined several steps to persuade Armenia to
 agree to the Minsk Group Basic Principles:
 
 -- the three co-chair countries should consolidate their
 efforts at a senior-level,
 
 -- (C) the three co-chair countries should send a strong
 message that the independence of NK is not under review, and
 
 -- (C) if these new proposals are not accepted, there should
 be consequences in terms of international isolation,
 especially in the form of Russia,s curtailing some of its
 economic support for Armenia.
 
 ¶6.  (C) Aliyev noted that at Sochi, President Sargsian had
 inserted a proposal for specifying a definite date for a
 referendum or plebiscite on NK final status.  This, Aliyev
 argued, undermined the entire framework of the agreement,
 which is premised on an eventual referendum ) with no
 definite timeframe ) in exchange for legalizing "the
 illegally established regime in NK.""  He also noted that
 Armenia is vulnerable to isolation because it is dependent
 upon remittances from its diaspora, as well as imports of gas
 and electricity.  "After 18 years of negotiation, we have
 tested all options.  If this phase (of Minsk Group talks)
 ends, what is next?" the President asked aloud.
 
 The Russian Role in NK and Russian Succession
 
 BAKU 00000134  002 OF 004
 
 
 ---------------------------------------------
 
 ¶7.  (C) In response to U/S Burns' question about the Russian
 role in the NK talks, Aliyev responded that he was convinced
 that Medvedev's efforts have been sincere.  He said that
 Medvedev has personally met with the Azerbaijani and Armenian
 presidents five times.  Thus any failure to make progress on
 this issue will damage Medvedev's credibility.  He said that
 at Sochi, Medvedev tried to persuade Sargsian to achieve a
 breakthrough.  He added, however, that it was strange that
 with so much pressure from Moscow and Lavrov's visit to
 Yeveran, the Armenians not only resisted progress, but
 actually backtracked on previously-agreed items.  In response
 to a question, Aliyev said that he believes that PM Putin has
 his own separate opinion about the desirability of an NK
 resolution.  "I have no evidence, but I can feel this,"
 Aliyev remarked.
 
 ¶8.  (C) Aliyev said that he considers Medvedev "a modern,
 new-generation intellectual," surrounded by people whom he
 does not control.  He said that he has personally witnessed
 Medvedev taking decisions that then required further approval
 before they were implemented, referring specifically to a
 border demarcation agreement that he had agreed with Medvedev
 only to have it stymied by ""others,"" presumably in the
 prime ministerial office.  He added, "Many high-ranking
 officials don't recognize (Medvedev) as a leader."  He said
 that there are signs of a strong confrontation between the
 teams of the two men, although not yet between Putin and
 Medvedev personally.  "We have a saying in Azeri, 'Two heads
 cannot be boiled in one pot'" (crude street slang suggesting
 that two leaders are spoiling for a fight).
 
 Strong Pushback on the Turkey-Armenia Normalization
 --------------------------------------------- -------
 
 ¶9.  (C) U/S Burns stressed that the U.S. believes that
 progress on the Turkey-Armenia protocols could create
 political space for Sargsian to be more flexible on NK.  He
 continued that the reverse was also true, that a failure of
 the Turkey-Armenia process would almost certainly result in
 serious negative consequences for the NK process.  Aliyev
 said that NK progress would require a minimum of five or six
 months.  He suggested that the entire Turkey-Armenia protocol
 ratification process be delayed until after April 24.  He
 said that the "Sword of Damocles" of Armenian Remembrance Day
 is hanging unhelpfully not only over the Turkey-Armenia
 process, but also now the NK progress.  "If there were no
 deadline, maybe we could see how to combine our efforts (to
 resolve NK)."
 
 ¶10.  (C) Aliyev pushed back with his usual warnings about the
 negative effects of Turkey-Armenia protocol ratification
 without being proceeded by NK progress.  He darkly predicted
 postponement of any NK settlement; no comprehensive regional
 security improvement; damage to Turkey-Azerbaijani relations;
 no real partnership between Turkey and Armenia; further
 isolation of Central Asia; the undermining of energy
 projects; and damage to Georgia, both in lost transit income,
 but also in its role as the sole land corridor between Russia
 and Armenia.
 
 Relations with Iran Described as Tense and Unstable
 --------------------------------------------- ------
 
 ¶11.  (C) U/S Burns explained in detail the steps the U.S. had
 taken to initiate dialogue with Tehran and support the Tehran
 Research Reactor initiative.  He ended by noting that, given
 the rejection of these overtures, the U.S. would move forward
 with another UNSC resolution that included new sanctions
 targeting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.  Aliyev
 responded that although the visible side of Azerbaijan's
 relations with Iran appears normal, the substance was very
 different.  "I do not exclude that relations will be become
 more difficult," the President added.
 
 ¶12.  (C) "(German Chancellor) Merkel was very firm with me on
 Iran, trying to persuade me.  I told her, 'No need,'" the
 President recalled.  He said that he was supportive of Iran's
 economic isolation and believed it could work if the
 international community worked together.  He said that
 earlier sanctions observance had been spotty with many
 European energy companies working in Iran.  "Statoil supports
 Iran more than it supports us!" he complained.  He noted that
 Russian President Medvedev once told him that Russia did not
 want the Americans to squeeze Iran, but also did not want a
 nuclear Iran.
 
 
 BAKU 00000134  003 OF 004
 
 
 ¶13.  (C) Aliyev said that Iranian provocations in Azerbaijan
 were on the rise.  He specifically cited not only the
 financing of radical Islamic groups and Hezbollah terrorists,
 but also:
 
 -- the Iranian financing of violent Ashura ceremonies in
 Nakhchivan,
 
 -- the organization of demonstrations in front of the Azeri
 consulates in Tabriz and Istanbul,
 
 -- a violent religious procession recently in Baku,
 
 -- the use of the President's photo alongside the Star of
 David on the Azeri-language Seher TV broadcast into
 Azerbaijan, and
 
 -- conflict in the Caspian.
 
 ¶14.  (C) The President added that Azerbaijan will not
 reciprocate on the liberalization of the visa regime with
 Iran.  He also noted that Azerbaijan is planning to create a
 TV channel in Persian that will broadcast into Iran.  He said
 that he did not understand why the Supreme Religious Leader
 chose Ahmadinejad over former President Moussavi.  He joked
 that perhaps it was too dangerous to have two ethnic Azeris
 at the head of the Iranian state.  He said that the election
 fraud was outrageous, with Ahmadinejad winning in
 Azeri-dominated Tabriz and Moussavi winning in Tehran, where
 it was harder to falsify the vote.  He viewed the situation
 as very tense within Iran and believed it could erupt at any
 time.
 
 Supports Afghanistan Troop Contribution, with Conditions
 --------------------------------------------- -----------
 
 ¶15.  (C) U/S Burns asked for the President's support to
 continue our discussions about a battalion-sized contribution
 of troops to Afghanistan that would include a U.S. train and
 equip program.  The President said that he is aware of this
 initiative and his foreign and defense ministries are working
 on it.  He said that the fundamental problem is one of
 ""optics,""  claiming it was difficult for him politically if
 it looks like the Americans are only training Azeri troops to
 send them off to Afghanistan.  He said that it would be
 easier if half of those trained would be sent to Afghanistan,
 while the second half would remain in Azerbaijan or be used
 for other purposes.  U/S Burns noted that the President's
 suggestion would create problems involving the U.S. funding
 of the training.  The Charge proposed that as an initial
 step, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministry staff
 observe the training of Georgian troops headed to Afghanistan
 by U.S. Marines.  The President thought this was a good idea
 and instructed his aide to look at this suggestion.
 
 Pardon or Amnesty of the Youth Activists "Can be Done"
 --------------------------------------------- ---------
 
 ¶16.  (C) U/S Burns said that one of the ways Azerbaijan could
 show leadership as a tolerant and secular country was in
 advancing democracy and human rights.  He specifically asked
 that, following the appeal process of the two youth
 activists, the President find a way on humanitarian grounds
 to release the two men.  Aliyev made no firm commitment, but
 responded, "I think this can be done.  I had no intention to
 hurt anyone."  When U/S Burns expressed the hope that the
 government could quietly take this step, the President said,
 "Okay."
 
 Russians are a Factor in Turkish Gas Transit
 --------------------------------------------
 
 ¶17.  (C) On energy cooperation, President Aliyev said that if
 the Turks demonstrate "constructive behavior" this year that
 a gas transit deal can happen.  He was clear, however, that
 nothing would be signed before April 24.  He also professed
 to be worried that active Turkish-Russian cooperation could
 be one of the impediments to progress.  He confided that
 Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz recently told the head the
 Azerbaijani State Oil Company, "Why do you want to ruin our
 relations with Russia?  Do you really need Nabucco?"
 
 ¶18.  (C) The President continued that it is imperative for
 Azerbaijan that formalities for the commencement of Shah
 Deniz Phase II gas development begin this year.  This project
 will bring $20 billion in much-needed investment to
 Azerbaijan and potentially develop Azerbaijan into a major
 source of new gas, as much as 50 billion cubic meters.
 
 BAKU 00000134  004 OF 004
 
 
 
 ¶19.  (C) Unprompted by U/S Burns, Aliyev spelled out the
 reasons Azerbaijan decided to sell gas to Russia last year,
 noting that ""Moscow had asked" and offered a good price for
 gas that was surplus anyway.  But the real reason, Aliyev
 confided, was that the sale illustrated to "our Turkish
 friends" that they will not be allowed to create a gas
 distribution hub.  "Aliyev made clear his distaste for the
 Erdogan government in Turkey, underscoring the "naivete" of
 their foreign policy and the failure of their initiatives,
 including the loss of support for Turkey among traditional
 international friends because of Ankara,s hostility to
 Israel.  He noted that in his view, there had never been any
 merit to the notion of a "moderate Islamist" government in
 Turkey, and that Erdogan,s insistence on promoting Hamas and
 Gaza ) when other Arab countries were notably silent on
 these issues ) had brought Turkey no benefits.
 
 ¶20.  (U) Lastly, U/S Burns asked for the President's
 assistance in resolving the long-standing difficulties in
 finalizing the lease for the new Embassy compound.  The
 President responded positively that he thought this could be
 done.
 
 ¶21.  (U) U/S Burns was accompanied by EUR Deputy Assistant
 Secretary Amb. Tina Kaidanow, NSC Director Bridget Brink, and
 Charge.  President Aliyev was joined by his Foreign Policy
 Advisor Novruz Mammadov.
 
 ¶22.  (U) This message has been cleared by U/S Burns.
 LU
 |  |