Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04YEREVAN615
2004-03-12 14:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

ARMENIAN DEP DEFENSE MINISTER OFFERS COMPROMISE ON

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR PARM AM AJ NATO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000615 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN; EUR/PRM; PM
USNATO FOR POL
SECDEF FOR ISP/NATO POLICY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR PARM AM AJ NATO
SUBJECT: ARMENIAN DEP DEFENSE MINISTER OFFERS COMPROMISE ON
CBE 04

Classified By: Ambassador John Ordway for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000615

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN; EUR/PRM; PM
USNATO FOR POL
SECDEF FOR ISP/NATO POLICY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR PARM AM AJ NATO
SUBJECT: ARMENIAN DEP DEFENSE MINISTER OFFERS COMPROMISE ON
CBE 04

Classified By: Ambassador John Ordway for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Artur
Aghabekian informed DAO March 11 that Armenia is planning to
send three officers to Baku in September 2004 to participate
in NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise Cooperative Best
Effort 04 (CBE 04). Aghabekian ruled out the possibility
that Armenian officers would participate in the exercise as
observers. End Summary.


2. (C) Deputy Defense Minister Artur Aghabekian told DAO that
he is aware of the domestic pressures the Azerbaijani
government faces in allowing Armenian military officers to
participate in any activity in Baku. He noted that Armenia
went through a similar process last year when Armenia hosted
CBE 03. As a condition of hosting the exercise, Armenia had
to consent to Turkish and Azerbaijani participation in the
exercise. Although Azerbaijan declined to participate,
Turkey sent a small contingent. Aghabekian said that most
Armenians were opposed to the Turkish presence in Armenia,
but the GOAM worked to convince the Armenian society that
Turkish participation would not harm Armenian interests and
could also provide political benefits. Aghabekian stated
that he wants to see the Government of Azerbaijan begin to
prepare its public for Armenian participation in CBE 04, and
to reduce the anti-Armenian rhetoric in public discourse.


3. (C) Aghabekian stated that Armenia's interest in
participating in CBE 04 is not to humiliate Azerbaijan for
allowing Armenian military officers to participate in
exercises in Baku. Armenia's objective is to pressure
Azerbaijan to tone down the anti-Armenian rhetoric throughout
Azerbaijani society. Aghabekian claimed that the current
atmosphere does not allow for progress in negotiations over
Nagorno-Karabakh. He said Armenia would like to get to the
point where Azerbaijani society considers Armenia an
"opponent" rather than an "enemy" (Note. Aghabekian used the
Russian words "protivnik" and "vrag", saying that one could
work with an opponent but not with an enemy. End Note.)
Aghabekian believes that this process had a beneficial effect
on Armenian society last year during preparations for CBE 03
and would like to see a similar process occur in Azerbaijan
this year.


4. (C) The GOAM continues to oppose sending the officers to
Baku as observers rather than participants, since Armenia did
not make such a demand on Turkey or Azerbaijan last year.
GOAM officials argue that NATO should take an even-handed
approach to the countries in the region. The MOD would like
to incorporate the Armenian officers into NATO's exercise
staff, which would limit the visibility of the Armenian
presence.


5. (C) COMMENT: This proposal from the MOD appears to be the
definitive response to the Azerbaijani offer of two
observers. If it is feasible for the Armenians to
participate as part of the exercise staff, it strikes us that
this is an attractive compromise that will allow the GOAM to
claim that it is "participating" while allowing the GOAJ to
claim that no Armenian unit is participating in the exercise.
The next steps appear to be (a) confirmation by NATO
military authorities that three Armenians can be accommodated
as part of the exercise staff, and (b) confirmation by Baku
that this is an acceptable outcome. END COMMENT

ORDWAY