TERRORIST FINANCE: YEREVAN: PKK/KADEK

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001773 SIPDIS FOR EB/ESC/TFS (EGOFF),S/CT (JSULLIVAN),EUR, NSC (MRUPPERT),TREASURY (JZARATE),OFAC DIRECTOR (RNEWCOMB) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014 TAGS: PREL PTER EFIN ETTC TU AM SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: YEREVAN: PKK/KADEK REF: A. STATE 164927 ¶B. YEREVAN 1707 Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). (C) On August we pressed the GOAM to take action against PKK/Kongra Gel elements present in Armenia (refs). On August 9, Deputy Foreign Minister Tatul Margarian told us August 9 that the GOAM is willing to cooperate on issues of terrorism but noted that the GOAM has no information about any terrorist activity connected with the Yerevan Kongra Gel office and requested additional information about the "alleged illegal activities" of the Yerevan office before taking action. He requested that such additional information be shared with the Head of the National Security Service Carlos Petrossian "through the normal channels," and noted that the correct time to follow up on the ref A request would be "in a month," after Petrossian returns from vacation. Margarian indicated that, for the moment, the GOAM would not be taking any concrete steps to shut down Kongra Gel's operations in Yerevan. GODFREY