Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07YEREVAN361
2007-03-27 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
ARMENIA-TURKEY: PM FUNERAL AND AKTAMAR CHURCH
how-toVZCZCXRO6385 PP RUEHDBU DE RUEHYE #0361 0861246 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271246Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5166 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1229 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0293
C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000361
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017
TAGS: PREL TU AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA-TURKEY: PM FUNERAL AND AKTAMAR CHURCH
DELEGATIONS
REF: A) YEREVAN 356 B) YEREVAN 344 C) ANKARA 687 D)
ANKARA 642 E) ANKARA-YEREVAN E-MAILS
Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000361
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017
TAGS: PREL TU AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA-TURKEY: PM FUNERAL AND AKTAMAR CHURCH
DELEGATIONS
REF: A) YEREVAN 356 B) YEREVAN 344 C) ANKARA 687 D)
ANKARA 642 E) ANKARA-YEREVAN E-MAILS
Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: DFM Kirakossian told us March 27 that
Deputy Culture Minister's delegation to Aktamar Church
opening departed by bus early March 27 in order to reach the
March 29 ceremony in time. GOT offers to allow a direct air
link did not arrive in time for this to be a viable option.
Separately, Kirakossian had heard directly from Turkish
Ambassador to Georgia Tezger that Tezger would lead Turkey's
delegation to the Margarian funeral. END SUMMARY
2. (C) AKTAMAR/HOLY CROSS CHURCH: It became clear in our
March 27 afternoon meeting that last-minute negotiations in
Ankara seeking permission for a direct Yerevan-Van flight for
the GOAM delegation had been overtaken by events. Lacking
any assurance of a direct connection, the delegation, headed
by Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurjian, had to leave early
March 27 to ensure it would reach Van in time for the
ceremony. They did so, travelling by bus for a two-day
journey by way of Georgia, intending to overnight in the
Turkish city of Kars. Kirakossian made the point to us that
Van was only 140km from Yerevan, a two-hour trip if driven
directly, he claimed. Meanwhile, local media reported that
the Catholicos had decided not to send an Armenian Apostolic
Church representative to the ceremony, out of displeasure
with the apparent GOT intention to retain Holy Cross Church
as a museum, rather than have the church re-consecrated as a
place of worship. (We confirmed the Armenian church's
position with its director of international relations.)
3. (C) PM MARGARIAN FUNERAL: Contradicting earlier
discussions (Ref E) that the GOT might send its MFA
Undersecretary or a Deputy Undersecretary to PM Margarian's
funeral, DFM Kirakossian's information from Turkish
Ambassador to Georgia Tezger (as heard, full name unknown to
us),that Tezger himself would lead a delegaton of three
Turkish diplomats. There would be no representative from
Ankara. Subsequent information received from EMBASSY Ankara
corroborated this news.
GODFREY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017
TAGS: PREL TU AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA-TURKEY: PM FUNERAL AND AKTAMAR CHURCH
DELEGATIONS
REF: A) YEREVAN 356 B) YEREVAN 344 C) ANKARA 687 D)
ANKARA 642 E) ANKARA-YEREVAN E-MAILS
Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: DFM Kirakossian told us March 27 that
Deputy Culture Minister's delegation to Aktamar Church
opening departed by bus early March 27 in order to reach the
March 29 ceremony in time. GOT offers to allow a direct air
link did not arrive in time for this to be a viable option.
Separately, Kirakossian had heard directly from Turkish
Ambassador to Georgia Tezger that Tezger would lead Turkey's
delegation to the Margarian funeral. END SUMMARY
2. (C) AKTAMAR/HOLY CROSS CHURCH: It became clear in our
March 27 afternoon meeting that last-minute negotiations in
Ankara seeking permission for a direct Yerevan-Van flight for
the GOAM delegation had been overtaken by events. Lacking
any assurance of a direct connection, the delegation, headed
by Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurjian, had to leave early
March 27 to ensure it would reach Van in time for the
ceremony. They did so, travelling by bus for a two-day
journey by way of Georgia, intending to overnight in the
Turkish city of Kars. Kirakossian made the point to us that
Van was only 140km from Yerevan, a two-hour trip if driven
directly, he claimed. Meanwhile, local media reported that
the Catholicos had decided not to send an Armenian Apostolic
Church representative to the ceremony, out of displeasure
with the apparent GOT intention to retain Holy Cross Church
as a museum, rather than have the church re-consecrated as a
place of worship. (We confirmed the Armenian church's
position with its director of international relations.)
3. (C) PM MARGARIAN FUNERAL: Contradicting earlier
discussions (Ref E) that the GOT might send its MFA
Undersecretary or a Deputy Undersecretary to PM Margarian's
funeral, DFM Kirakossian's information from Turkish
Ambassador to Georgia Tezger (as heard, full name unknown to
us),that Tezger himself would lead a delegaton of three
Turkish diplomats. There would be no representative from
Ankara. Subsequent information received from EMBASSY Ankara
corroborated this news.
GODFREY