Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ULAANBAATAR275
2006-04-17 03:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:  

MPRP DENIES PRESS CLAIM THAT IT BLAMES THE

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID ECON KPAO MG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170343Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9734
INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2169
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4900
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1444
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2039
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0223
RUCPODC/USDOC WASHDC 0978
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
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.

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