REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: PRESIDENT

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000680

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: PRESIDENT
BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS


1. SUMMARY: Armenian media widely covered the
terrorist bombing in Madrid. The reports on TV and in
the press were mainly factual. The only article with
commentaries was published in "Hayots Ashkhar"
newspaper. The following is the summary of the
article. END SUMMARY

WHO DOES AZNAR SUPPORT?


2. Dashnak-affiliated HAYOTS ASHKHAR newspaper (03/18)
published an article discussing the terrorist acts in
Madrid. "The terrorist acts in the Spanish capital
were shocking in their brutality and enormous scale,
and their cold-blooded and appalling planning. More
than 200 people were killed and some 1,500 people
received various types of injuries. Only Al Qaida
operates like this, without any regard for sex or age,
without considering the amount of guilt of the victims.
The most terrible thing about this terrorist act was
its predictability. Of course, no one could have
predicted the exact day and place of the terrorist act,
nor could anyone predict exactly how the terrorists
would strike Spain, but no one ever doubted that
something like this would happen. When the media
reported about the tragedy in Madrid, no one doubted
who was responsible for it. No one, except... the
Spanish government." "Starting from their very first
public statements, top government officials
unhesitatingly blamed the military wing of the Basque
separatists, ETA, for the blasts." "By blaming the
Basques, the Spanish authorities were moving the
suspicion away from themselves, since there is no doubt
at all that regular Spanish citizens are currently
paying a price for their government's shortsighted and
audacious policy." "Doubtless, the roots of the
current tragedy go back to the time when the ambitious
[Prime Minister] Aznar decided to ignore the UN
Security Council's opinion and enter the Anglo-American
alliance [in Iraq]." "The secret of this
"shortsightedness" [meaning the government's insistence
that ETA was responsible for the blasts] is clear:
Spain was going to hold parliamentary elections three
days after the terrorist acts, after which, according
to the Spanish Constitution, the current Prime Minister
could no longer occupy this post. The FARSIghted Aznar
had already found a replacement for himself when he
appointed M. Rajo (sp.) to lead the Popular Party and
he was hoping for a quiet life afterwards. However,
the terrorist acts clearly demonstrated the dangers of
Aznar's audacious policy and cast serious doubts on his
party's victory in the upcoming elections." "The
results of the Spanish elections are already known to
our readers. The Popular Party lost, despite the fact
that, even a week before the elections, they were
widely expected to win. The Spanish people can forgive
stupidity, but not lying."

WALKER