MPRP DENIES PRESS CLAIM THAT IT BLAMES THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000275 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS USAID FOR ANE CALISTA DOWNEY STATE FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECON KPAO MG SUBJECT: MPRP DENIES PRESS CLAIM THAT IT BLAMES THE USG FOR FUNDING ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS Ref: A) ULAANBAATAR 247 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. ( SBU ) SUMMARY: The April 14 front page lead article for Odrin Sonin, a major Mongolian daily under Democratic party ownership, quoted Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) officials as stating that the MPRP believed the most truthful rumors circulating held the U.S. Embassy responsible for funding the ongoing anti-government protests on Sukhbaatar Square (REFTEL). According to the article, the MPRP source, reported to be a leak from an MPRP Steering Council meeting last week on the protests, also stated that the MPRP has decided that an American working in the Embassy who is married to a Mongolian citizen will be ejected from Mongolia within 24 hours. (NOTE: The article is a fabrication, of course, as the Embassy is not/not funding the protests. Moreover, no one on the Embassy staff is married to a Mongolian. END NOTE) Ulaanbaatar MPRP Chair Otgonbayar confirmed to Econoff April 14 that the article was rumor and not fact. The MPRP does not believe the U.S. Embassy was involved in fomenting or funding protests, he said, a view reiterated the following day by the Prime Minister during a meeting with the Charge' and a visiting MCC rep. END SUMMARY. MPRP DENIES STATEMENTS AND RUMORS ON SOURCES OF PROTESTS ABOUND - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- ¶2. (SBU) Econoff met late the afternoon of April 14 with Otgonbayar, the Ulaanbaatar MPRP Chairman. Otgonbayar stated that the MPRP does not believe that the U.S. Embassy is involved in funding the protests. He explained that while the MPRP Steering Council had been meeting nightly, there have been only two instances where the protests were discussed and in neither case did the U.S. Embassy become a topic of conversation. He said that the Council was concerned over the slowness in response to the demonstrators by the Government and that the SAPU fire victims should not be paid from government funds. Otgonbayar noted the Embassy should understand that there are frequent false allegations in the press and that it is impossible to answer each one. However, in response to the Embassy's request, he said the MPRP would consider printing a clarification or demand a retraction. Post is awaiting a response. ¶3. (SBU) At the conclusion of luncheon briefing April 15 for Prime Minister Enkhbold on Mongolia's Millennium Challenge Corporation proposal progress (septel), Charge' broached the topic and sought the PM's views. Dismissing the article as a rumor cast by an opposition newspaper and expressing surprise the Embassy would give it any attention, the PM said the GOM is looking into the question of who is financing the spate of recent protests. COMMENT - -- - - - - - - - ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: While a variety of rumors have been flying as to the funding and motivation of the protests, including claims by Minister Jargalsaikhan that former Prime Minister Elbegdorj is backing them organizationally and financially (a claim he repeated directly with the Charge') , there have been no/no previous direct allegations of USG involvement in domestic political issues surrounding them. Some in the MPRP leadership have grumbled that "foreigners" are involved in the protests perhaps hoping to deflect criticism that some are not satisfied with the MPRP and despite the absence of any credible evidence of such alleged foreign involvement. According to local ULAANBAATA 00000275 002 OF 002 analysts, the publication of MPRP leaks in an opposition paper is uncommon but plausible given the recent fractures within the party structure. Factions are jockeying for power and willing to use any outlet for political gain. ¶4. (SBU) We have picked up rumors that Deputy Prime Minister M. Enkhsaikhan and Minister of Fuel and Energy Erdenebat are reportedly colluding with President Enkhbayar's supporters to bring down Prime Minister Enkhbold. While this seems a bit far-fetched, there is an undeniably strong connection between President Enkhbayar and Enkhsaikhan. A few hardline MPRP members have supposedly been suspicious of Embassy involvement with the Healthy Society Movement in the past due to the selection of a former member of that Movement for an Eisenhower fellowship in 2005 (through a bilateral committee). Post has informed the MPRP leadership of the selection process (which included MPRP membership) and although that incident seems to be well understood, there remains some skepticism and apparent anti-U.S. sentiment amongst a few hardline members of the MPRP. END COMMENT. GOLDBECK