ARMENIA: SMALL KURDISH DEMONSTRATION FOR ABDULAH

UNCLAS YEREVAN 002417

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: SMALL KURDISH DEMONSTRATION FOR ABDULAH
OCALAN IN YEREVAN

REF: FBIS Report CEP20041101000074


1. (SBU) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.


2. (SBU) On 29 October, approximately 25 Armenian-Kurds
staged a 30-minute demonstration outside of the Yerevan
office of the European Commission. The demonstration was
peaceful and covered by the local press. Knayz Hasanov,
member of the Coordinating Council of National Minorities
and a leader of the Kurdish community in Armenia, told us
that the goal of the demonstration was to present a letter
to the European Union asking their help in freeing Abdullah
Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdish organization, Kongra Gel,
from Turkish custody. Hasanov told us that he was unaware
of any plans for future protests.


3. (SBU) Jean-Francois Moret of the European Union office in
Armenia confirmed there were no more than 25 protestors and
that the demonstration was peaceful.


4. (SBU) The Armenian press incorrectly reported the Kurdish
population figures in Armenia (ref). Experts estimate the
Kurdish population in Armenia is between 30 and 40 thousand.
EVANS