Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07YEREVAN588
2007-05-09 11:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
FM OSKANIAN DEFENDS VISA REFUSAL OF TURKISH OSCE
how-toVZCZCXRO9855 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHYE #0588 1291157 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 091157Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5521 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC 0043
C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000588
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM OSCE TU AM
SUBJECT: FM OSKANIAN DEFENDS VISA REFUSAL OF TURKISH OSCE
ELECTION OBSERVERS
Classified By: Steve Banks, pol/econ chief, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000588
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM OSCE TU AM
SUBJECT: FM OSKANIAN DEFENDS VISA REFUSAL OF TURKISH OSCE
ELECTION OBSERVERS
Classified By: Steve Banks, pol/econ chief, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) CDA and the German Ambassador each protested (during
a scheduled meeting with CDA and EU chiefs of mission late
May 8),Armenia's refusal to grant visas to Turkey's
contigent of seconded OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission
short-term observers (STOs). Each associated themselves with
ODIHR Director Strohal's May 7 statement of concern about
this action by Armenian authorities, and lamented that this
decision was not only a violation of OSCE norms but a lost
opportunity to further rapprochement with Turkey. (NOTE:
German Ambassador Haike Peitsch made clear she was speaking
on instructions from Berlin in her bilateral capacity, and
not as the representative of the EU Presidency. END NOTE)
The other EU member-state COMs present remained silent on the
issue.
2. (C) FM Oskanian said he was disppointed that Turkey had
not shown more "sensitivity" as it done in the past, by not
attempting to send observers. He said that during the 2003
elections, Turkey had shown more sensitivity by not insisting
on sending observers. He reiterated Armenia's frequent
complaints that Turkey has for all these years kept its
Armenian border sealed--against all norms of normal
relations, and to Armenia's severe economic harm--and has
refused Armenia's repeated attempts to establish normal
diplomatic relations. Oskanian complained that Turkey had
further been insensitive by proposing to send such a large
(eight-person) delegation, and putting forward their names so
late in the process (though he was not specific about when
the applications might have been received. He commented that
ensuring security for so many Turks, scattered around the
Armenian countryside, would pose a signficant burden, on top
of the many logisitical challenges Armenia was facing in
trying to organize effective elections.
3. (C) The minister added one piece of information new to
us, reporting that Armenia had issued a visa and election
observer accreditation to a Turkish parliamentarian
participating in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) delegation.
4. (C) Neither CDA nor Peitsch were satisfied with
Oskanian's protestations, and each reiterated the points that
this was a disappointing development.
GODFREY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM OSCE TU AM
SUBJECT: FM OSKANIAN DEFENDS VISA REFUSAL OF TURKISH OSCE
ELECTION OBSERVERS
Classified By: Steve Banks, pol/econ chief, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) CDA and the German Ambassador each protested (during
a scheduled meeting with CDA and EU chiefs of mission late
May 8),Armenia's refusal to grant visas to Turkey's
contigent of seconded OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission
short-term observers (STOs). Each associated themselves with
ODIHR Director Strohal's May 7 statement of concern about
this action by Armenian authorities, and lamented that this
decision was not only a violation of OSCE norms but a lost
opportunity to further rapprochement with Turkey. (NOTE:
German Ambassador Haike Peitsch made clear she was speaking
on instructions from Berlin in her bilateral capacity, and
not as the representative of the EU Presidency. END NOTE)
The other EU member-state COMs present remained silent on the
issue.
2. (C) FM Oskanian said he was disppointed that Turkey had
not shown more "sensitivity" as it done in the past, by not
attempting to send observers. He said that during the 2003
elections, Turkey had shown more sensitivity by not insisting
on sending observers. He reiterated Armenia's frequent
complaints that Turkey has for all these years kept its
Armenian border sealed--against all norms of normal
relations, and to Armenia's severe economic harm--and has
refused Armenia's repeated attempts to establish normal
diplomatic relations. Oskanian complained that Turkey had
further been insensitive by proposing to send such a large
(eight-person) delegation, and putting forward their names so
late in the process (though he was not specific about when
the applications might have been received. He commented that
ensuring security for so many Turks, scattered around the
Armenian countryside, would pose a signficant burden, on top
of the many logisitical challenges Armenia was facing in
trying to organize effective elections.
3. (C) The minister added one piece of information new to
us, reporting that Armenia had issued a visa and election
observer accreditation to a Turkish parliamentarian
participating in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) delegation.
4. (C) Neither CDA nor Peitsch were satisfied with
Oskanian's protestations, and each reiterated the points that
this was a disappointing development.
GODFREY