UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - ARMENIA STILL UNDECIDED

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000599

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2016
TAGS: KUNR PHUM PREL AM IR
SUBJECT: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - ARMENIA STILL UNDECIDED
ON WHETHER IT WILL SUPPORT IRAN

REF: STATE 66050

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

(C) DCM delivered reftel demarche to Deputy Foreign Armen
Minister Baiburtian on April 28. Baiburtian said that
Armenia had not yet decided how it would vote in the May 9
election, and underscored that its own election to the new
Human Rights Council was a top priority. Armenia was in
receipt of a letter of support from Iran, provided Armenia
supported Iran's own election. Baiburtian said the decision
on how to vote would likely be made by May 4. We underscored
again that the election of Iran would cause the new council
to lose all credibility and that irrespective of Armenia's
own goal of election to the council we would not understand
an Armenian vote to elect Iran.
EVANS