Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04YEREVAN970
2004-04-26 10:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: PRESS

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 000970 

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: PRESS
CONFERENCE OF AMBASSADOR JOHN ORDWAY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000970

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: PRESS
CONFERENCE OF AMBASSADOR JOHN ORDWAY


1. SUMMARY: All mass media widely covered Ambassador
John Ordway's press conference held on April 22. TV
reports were mainly accurate and factual. The press
carried fewer commentaries this time than it has in the
past. The majority of the newspapers quoted the
Ambassador without any comments. Unlike previous press
conferences with a wide range of questions asked by the
journalists, the main topics discussed this time were
the internal political situation in the country, the
Armenian Genocide issue and a little bit about Armenian-
Turkish relations. Virtually all the papers noted the
balanced U.S. position expressed by the Ambassador with
regard to the political situation in Armenia. The
following is a summary of some of the articles. END
SUMMARY

THE AMBASSADOR TRIED TO LOOK NEUTRAL


2. Oppositionist Armenian daily HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK
(04/23) tried to emphasize those parts of the answers
that discussed the policy conducted by the authorities.
"The leitmotiv of the Ambassador's answers was the
necessity of avoiding violence and beginning a dialogue
between the authorities and opposition." "The
Ambassador's words on beginning a dialogue were more
probably addressed to the authorities." "It was
obvious that for the Ambassador a principal issue was
not to make any statement that would express support
for any side. However, he mentioned several times that
certain actions by the authorities do not assist in
beginning a dialogue. The Ambassador asked a
rhetorical question - whether it is possible to expect
that the opposition would engage in a dialogue, when,
for example, the offices of the opposition parties are
being raided."

"WE HOPE THAT THE EVENTS OF APRIL 13 WOULD NOT BE
REPEATED"


3. Centrist Armenian language daily AZG (04/23) wrote:
"The monthly press conference of U.S. Ambassador John
Ordway was entirely about the internal political
situation of the country. There was obviously a need
for a press conference taking into account recent
publications in local as well as foreign press saying

that the current situation in Armenia is another
version of the Georgian revolution and is the result of
cooperation between the opposition and the U.S.
National Democratic Institute and the Soros Foundation.
As expected, the Ambassador denied this." "During this
period the Ambassador had several meetings with
representatives of the opposition and the authorities.
His position coincided with the formulation widely
circulated today, that is, real political processes
would start only through dialogue." "However, is it
possible to start a dialogue in a deadlocked situation,
when the positions of the opposition and the
authorities do not contain tolerance for each other,
especially after the April 13 events?" "The Ambassador
insisted on his opinion, saying that the grounds for a
dialogue should be laid by the authorities first of
all." "Remaining loyal to the spirit of the U.S. State
Department statement, John Ordway repeated that they
think that all the arrested people should be released
and the raids and closure of party offices is not
acceptable. Without doubt, the Ambassador talked about
this with the RA President. However, the Ambassador
did not think it right to give details of that talk.
He just said that the private talks had positive
results."

"THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE WAY IS THROUGH A DIALOGUE"


4. Russian language pro-government RESPUBLIKA ARMENIA
(04/23) wrote: "U.S. Ambassador John Ordway started the
regular monthly press conference with his welcome in
Armenian. After that he invited the journalists to ask
questions." "Asked how important are the demands by
the opposition and whether the opposition provided
grounds for violence, the Ambassador smiled and said
that the opposition should ask itself these questions."

U.S. OFFICIAL URGES `RESTRAINT' IN ARMENIAN STANDOFF


5. The Radio Liberty web-site published an article on
the press conference. "Ordway also renewed U.S. calls
for a dialogue between the two rival camps. But he
would not be drawn on what specific compromise deals
could resolve the lingering tensions which might again
flare up into a violent confrontation next week.
Ordway implied that both sides are to blame for the
violence, saying that they should now `ask themselves
some questions about their activities on that night'
and act in `in a responsible manner that avoids
violence and confrontation.' But echoing an April 15
statement by the State Department, he did criticize
police raids on opposition offices and mass arrests
that followed the troubled anti-Kocharian protest.
Washington is thought to have played a major role in
the bloodless overthrow of then Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze, but seems to be walking a more
delicate line in Armenia." "In a commentary published
by `The Wall Street Journal' last week, David Phillips
of America's influential Council on Foreign Relations
called for an internationally supervised referendum of
confidence in `Mr. Kocharian's corrupt and inept
administration.' Ordway made it clear that the
government-connected scholar's views do not reflect the
official U.S. policy on Armenia."

WALKER