Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05YEREVAN1576
2005-08-30 12:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

KOCHARIAN-SAAKASHVILI "UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS"

Tags:  PREL PGOV ECON GG AM RU 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001576 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON GG AM RU
SUBJECT: KOCHARIAN-SAAKASHVILI "UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS"


Classified By: Ambassador John M. Evans for reasons 1.5 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001576

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON GG AM RU
SUBJECT: KOCHARIAN-SAAKASHVILI "UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS"


Classified By: Ambassador John M. Evans for reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (SBU) On August 21, Armenian President Robert Kocharian
hosted Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili at his summer
residence on Lake Sevan for what Armenian press characterized
as an "informal" visit. Armenian Defense Minister Serzh
Sarkisian and his Georgian counterpart Irakly Okruashvili
also attended. The two presidents met for similar
"unofficial" discussions at a Georgian ski resort in April

2005.


2. (C) Presidential spokesman Viktor Soghomonian, who
traveled with Kocharian to Sevan, declined to discuss
specifics but told us "press reports are accurate." Previous
meetings between the two leaders, Soghomonian said, usually
focus on economic cooperation -- particularly transit of
Armenia's imports and exports through Georgia -- and
Georgia's largely ethnic Armenian Javakheti region.


3. (SBU) In an August 19 press conference, Kocharian told
reporters that an article published by the Russian
Nezavisimaya Gazeta titled "Kocharian Betrays Russia" was the
"fruit of the morbid and limited imagination of the author."
Kocharian reportedly down-played similar stories in Armenian
opposition newspapers Aravot and Haykakan Zhamanak and denied
that his meeting with the Georgian President had
"anti-Russian implications."


4. (SBU) Kocharian's official website (www.president.am)
posted the following statement after the visit:

Begin text of statement as published (original in English):

On August 21-22, President of Georgia Michael Saakashvili
made an unofficial visit to Armenia.

Michael Saakashvili and Robert Kocharian discussed issues
related to the Armenian-Georgian relations and current
socio-economic situation in Javakhk at the summer residence
of the President of Armenia on the Sevan Lakeshore.

At the briefing with journalists President of Armenia said
that leaders of the neighboring states should meet more than
once during the year. Those meetings can be official or
unofficial. The very fact that we are conducting not only
official but also friendly contacts with Georgia is a very
good sign. "I think that relations of the Presidents will
have their impact on the relations of common people.
relations between the people of the two states can be
established through contacts, reciprocal visits, tourism,
business and common interest -- all this should be
reestablished. It is not possible to do it in one or two
days, however it is possible to ruin it in one or two days.
We must preserve and cherish the relations that have been
built through the generations and do our best to develop them
further," stressed President Kocharian. In the President's
opinion the fact that many Armenians spend their vacation in
Georgia and return with good feelings is also a good sign.
End Text.
EVANS