DEMARCHE DELIVERED: 11TH ANNUAL CENTRAL AND

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001729 SIPDIS COMMERCE FOR CS/GTP SEAN MCALISTER AND DANICA STARKS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP BMGT EAIR AM SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: 11TH ANNUAL CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE/U.S. AIRPORT ISSUES CONFERENCE REF: USDOC 3828 On September 19, we delivered reftel invitation to Armenian Director of Civil Aviation Artyom Movsesyan. He said that he hopes to attend the conference contingent on available funding. Movsesyan informed us that Vano Vardanyan, the second invitee mentioned in reftel, no longer works at Zvartnots Airport. He told us that management and safety issues at the airport are currently the responsibility of Juan Pablo Gechijyan, Executive Director of Armenia International Airports (AIA). AIA is a private company that has managed Zvartnots Airport under a 30-year concession agreement since 2002. Per reftel, we contacted Dr. Sean McAlister in the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Global Trade Programs via e-mail and suggested that an invitation also be extended to Gechijyan. McAlister agreed and on September 27, we met with Gechijyan and passed the reftel invitation. He was extremely interested in the conference and said that either he or his representative is likely to attend. GODFREY