Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05YEREVAN1835
2005-10-14 04:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE: ARMENIANS LINK

Tags:  PREL IS AM UNGA 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001835

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, IO, DRL/MLA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015
TAGS: PREL IS AM UNGA
SUBJECT: HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE: ARMENIANS LINK
CO-SPONSORSHIP WITH DISCUSSION OF "OUR GENOCIDE"

REF: A. A) STATE 188927


B. B) GODFREY-WASILEWSKI OCT 4 E-MAIL

Classified By: DCM A.F.Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

(C) We delivered demarche talking points to MFA Chief of
International Organizations Division Valery Mkrtumyan October
12 per instructions in reftel A. (Note: Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian is out of the country on extended travel and
Mkrtumyan is the most well-informed MFA official on these
issues after the FM. End note.) Mkrtumyan's response on the
Holocaust Remembrance resolution was less positive than the
earlier signals we had received from the FM's Senior Advisor
(ref B). Mkrtumyan said that the GOAM would continue to push
hard for the inclusion of language that mentioned "our
genocide" (referring to the 1915 killing of Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey). When pressed, Mkrtumyan said the GOAM would
vote for the resolution in its current state, but expressed
doubt about Armenian co-sponsorship unless there was "some
discussion about editing a document that is not yet
complete." He suggested that the U.S. and others were
stifling discussion on the issue by presenting the resolution
as an "all or nothing" document. Mkrtumyan said that FM
Oskanian was managing the issue personally and had instructed
his deputies and the Armenian PermRep in New York not to make
any commitments without his direct consent. He admitted,
however, that neither the MFA nor Armenia's UN Mission in New
York had the latest word from Oskanian on the issue.

(C) Comment: We are not sure that Mkrtumyan's tough stance
on the Holocaust Resolution issue is fully up-to-date. After
our long discussion with him, however, it is clear that the
issue exposes sensitivities that could make it difficult for
Oskanian to authorize co-sponsorship without appearing "weak"
on the issue to some in Yerevan. The Armenians will not risk
an unhelpful image on an issue in which they feel they are
deeply involved. The commitment to vote for the resolution,
regardless of co-sponsorship, appears solid. We will
continue to push this message with the Armenians and will
raise it with Oskanian himself upon his return later next
week.
EVANS