ARMENIA STILL NOT WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE RELATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000145

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016
TAGS: PARM KNNP PREL IR EU AORC AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA STILL NOT WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE RELATIONS
WITH IRAN

REF: A) STATE 16171 B) YEREVAN 130 C) YEREVAN 127

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


1. (C) We delivered ref A points and P5 plus 2 statement on
Iran to Ministry of Foreign Affairs International
Organizations Department Head Valery Mkrtumyan. "We
understand Russia's position and we understand your
position," Mkrtumyan said, "but Iran is our neighbor and a
close trading partner." Mkrtumyan said that any detailed
response to the points would come after a high-level GOAM
delegation (led by Presidential Chief of Staff Artashes
Tumanyan and including Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan and
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arman Kirakossian)
returned from Tehran on February 2. (Note: The delegation
departed for Iran on January 29 for one of a series of
long-planned Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission meetings
(ref C). End Note.)


2. (C) Comment: With a major energy crisis narrowly averted
here following the January 22 explosions in North Ossetia
(ref B),Armenian officials are renewing efforts to diversify
their energy supply, a goal that unfortunately has the
potential to stimulate the already-existing Armenian-Iranian
courtship. Once the Joint Economic Commission returns on
February 2, we intend to probe for indications of growing
ties, and will repeat earlier points.
EVANS