ARMENIA RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT NDI ACTIVITIES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001456 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR (BRYZA) AND EUR/ACE (ADAMS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2016 TAGS: PHUM EAID AM SUBJECT: ARMENIA RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT NDI ACTIVITIES, THREATENS "APPROPRIATE ACTION" REF: A. YEREVAN 1231 ¶B. GODFREY/BRYZA/ADAMS EMAIL OF OCTOBER 11 Classified By: CDA A.F.Godfrey for reason 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) On October 17, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian delivered a non-paper to CDA objecting to some activities in Armenia of the National Democratic Institute. While the paper (full text below) purports to support NDI's democratization goals, it objects to alleged NDI actions to develop political coalitions within Armenia and states that, if these actions persist, the Government of Armenia will be forced to take "appropriate action." ¶2. (C) This issue has been raised in the past by President Kocharian, most recently on September 6 (ref A),but this is the first time the threat to NDI has been so clearly delivered. While we cannot and should not give the GOAM a veto over NDI's activities, and cannot and should not allow the GOAM its narrow definition of what is and is not democracy-building, neither should we leave the definition to NDI alone of what activities that concern Armenia, funded by the USG, are or are not appropriate. We understand that EUR/ACE has engaged with NDI's leadership to learn more about planned political activities, both in and out of Armenia. We look forward to sharing, as appropriate, some of this information with the Government of Armenia and hope that improved transparency will go some distance toward allaying the concerns expressed in this non-paper. We expect continued stalemate on the open question of NDI's registration until this issue is addressed. ¶3. (C) Begin text of MFA non-paper: We appreciate the work done by NDI in building political awareness, empowering the citizenry and teaching them the processes and benefits of political engagement. NDI, like other U.S. Government programs, offers useful technical and professional advice as needed. We understand that NDI's efforts should be aimed at helping build and strengthen democratic institutions. We realize that such institutions are crucial to the strengthening of democracy in Armenia. We are however concerned about the efforts of NDI in initiating and spearheading the creation of coalitions. We believe this is not in NDI's mandate and results in artificially propping up political entities. We believe that the political 'market' must be left to its own devices much the same way that other U.S. government programs, also sponsored by USAID, consciously do not intercede in the economic market. We understand NDI's mission to consolidate democracies, but that should not translate to NDI deciding how and which political forces to consolidate within a political system, since we believe that would be interfering in the domestic political process. If this practice continues, we will be forced to take appropriate action. We believe that organizations and institutions must be supported in ways and directions which they themselves define and deem necessary. End text. GODFREY