Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04YEREVAN1109
2004-05-07 13:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: ARMENIAN MEDIA

Tags:  KMDR OPRC PGOV PREL KPAO AM 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001109 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INR/R/MR-STHIBEAULT, EUR/PPD-MLOGSDON AND
SRUEDY, EUR/CACEN-ESIDEREAS, EUR, EUR/ACE, EUR/SNEC,
EUR/SE

E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC PGOV PREL KPAO AM
SUBJECT: REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: ARMENIAN MEDIA
ON THE SITUATION IN AJARIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001109

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INR/R/MR-STHIBEAULT, EUR/PPD-MLOGSDON AND
SRUEDY, EUR/CACEN-ESIDEREAS, EUR, EUR/ACE, EUR/SNEC,
EUR/SE

E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC PGOV PREL KPAO AM
SUBJECT: REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: ARMENIAN MEDIA
ON THE SITUATION IN AJARIA


1. SUMMARY: Armenian mass media widely covered the
recent developments in Ajaria and Georgia and paid
special attention to the resignation of Ajaria's
leader, Aslan Abashidze. The press outlined the
importance of the recent political developments for
their possible impact on Armenia and on the whole
region. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia made a short
statement welcoming the peaceful resolution of the
conflict. END SUMMARY

STATEMENT BY ARMENIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY


2. The Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry said:
"Official Yerevan expressed satisfaction that the
confrontation between Georgian central authorities and
the leadership of the Adjaria autonomous region was
resolved peacefully and without bloodshed. Such a
resolution was another important step on the path to
establishing peace and stability in Georgia, and
therefore in the whole South Caucasus. In this regard,
we welcome the Georgian authorities' consistent and
resolute policy which helped overcome this obstacle."

REACTIONS IN THE MEDIA

SWAN SONG OF THE AJARIAN LION


3. Government official Armenian language daily
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN (05/07) tries to explain the
recent events in Ajaria as the result of superpower
interests in the region. "The recent events in Ajaria
obviously demonstrated the interests that superpowers
have in the region and showed the new allocation of
power in the South Caucasus. We can definitely see
that the superpowers are paying more attention to the
economic factor rather than to the military in
protecting their political interests, i.e. they push
forward their economic interests, by means of which
they are trying to dictate their rules of the game.
The recent turmoil around Ajaria can be explained by
the economic interests of superpowers. European
structures, as well as Moscow and Washington, were
actively involved in the resolution of the conflict.
In the current situation there might be a question as
to why these superpowers are so interested in the
developments in this small autonomous region. Ajaria's

only treasure, and at the same time misfortune, is the
port of Batumi, which served as the cause of a serious
struggle." "After Abashidze's resignation Sahakashvili
stated that Georgia's reunification has started.
However, it should be noted that as opposed to Ajaria,
there are many ethnic conflicts in Abkhazia and South
Osetia, the resolution of which would be rather
difficult for official Tbilisi. Coming back to the
developments in Ajaria, it should be mentioned that the
peaceful resolution of the crisis directly affects
Armenia's interests. For Armenia, the thing of utmost
importance is the reopening of Ajaria's railroad, which
now will become a priority in the agenda of official
Tbilisi."

THE SUNSET OF THE ABSHIDZE FAMILY


4. Centrist Armenian language daily AZG (05/07)
outlined the role of Russia in the settlement of the
conflict and future plans of Sahakashvili. "As of May
6 the `tsar' of Ajaria is Sahakashvili. Igor Ivanov,
the secretary of the Russian Security Council, arrived
in Batumi at night and took Abashidze and his family
members to Moscow with him. What happened in Tbilisi
on November 22, 2003 was repeated in Batumi. Both
Shevarnadze and Aslan Abashidze left the political
arena under the pressure of the people without any
blood and fire. In both cases the mediator was the
emissary of the Kremlin, Igor Ivanov, who is Georgian
on his mother's side. In a recent interview given to
Azg, Sahakashvili said that, as during the days of the
rose revolution Ivanov came to rescue Shevarnadze, on
the 6th of May he came to Batumi at the invitation of
Sahakashvili to rescue Abashidze and prevent war
between Georgia and Ajaria. Sahakashvili promised the
people of Batumi that Ajaria is the beginning of the
reconsolidation [of Georgia]; next it will be
Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's turn. However, today
does not seem to be the time for settling the Abkhazian
conflict. First of all the Georgian authorities should
establish order in Ajaria, by distributing posts
previously occupied by members of the Abashidze family
clan among Sahakashvili's supporters."

LION'S SONG


5. Oppositionist Armenian daily ARAVOT (05/07) wrote:
"After the first unsuccessful collision between newly-
elected Mikhail Sahakashvili and Ajarian feudal lord
Abashidze, Russian media was filled with derisive and
sometimes mocking publications. In those publications
Sahakashvili was presented as a failed and hot-tempered
young man who was feverishly trying to dethrone the
`experienced' and `serious' figure. Some Armenian mass
media as well put forth all possible efforts to mock
the newly elected Sahakashvili, who came to power on a
wave of public emotion and who had the open support of
the West. But recently the irony has abruptly
lessened. Maybe people here have started to understand
that it is indecent to defend the local lord, who
opposes all the existing laws and the constitution of
the country, who is fully corrupted and who thinks only
about the self-interest of his clan, and from the other
side to mock somebody who is the favorite of the
people. Following Abashidze's loss of Moscow's
support, the Ajarians, who are almost the same as
Georgians, didn't resist even one hour during the
second collision with Sahakashvili. Again the people
won in Georgia and that victory is more than precious
as it fully reflects the idea of legitimacy of the
authorities [i.e., elected to power by the will of the
people]."

ASLAN HAS ESCAPED


6. Oppositionist Armenian daily HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK
(05/07) expressed admiration for the Georgian President
and thinly veiled disappointment with the current
leader of Armenia. "Georgian President Mikhail
Sahakashvili once again won the day's major political
battle and achieved Abashidze's resignation and escape
from Georgia. Especially after the escape of the
Ajarian `Lion,' political analysts began to take more
seriously the promise by Sahakashvili to restore
regional integrity. Yes, Sahakashvili won the
principal battle. But it happened not because the
Georgian president is a warrior or the only man in
Georgia. It happened because the Georgian people
believe in their leader, it happened because the
Georgian people and authorities are a single entity and
the authorities arose from the people. And all the
Georgian people, the whole nation of Georgia won. It
goes without saying that Abashidze's resignation is not
considered an intra-Georgian event only. The already-
existing great international authority [influence,
reputation] of Sahakashvili will grow, and it is
evident that he will start to be accepted as a leader
of the South Caucasus by the international community
and his opinion will be of great importance in dealing
with South Caucasus issues. Of course we should be
glad for the success of our neighbors but we should not
forget about our problems. But in this case Armenia
faces another problem. Robert Kocharian will always
remain in the shadow of Sahakashvili. So, Armenia has
the task of finding a leader like Mikhail
Sahakashvili."

ORDWAY