PRO-GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPERS EXPRESS RULING ELITE'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000592 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KPAO AM SUBJECT: PRO-GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPERS EXPRESS RULING ELITE'S ANTI-U.S. IRRITATION IN MONTHS PRIOR TO ELECTION YEREVAN 00000592 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: IO Liz Zentos for reasons 1.4 (b, d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In the weeks leading up to the May 12 parliamentary election, two pro-government newspapers regularly published articles highly critical of the United States and other Western missions and NGOs. Hayots Ashkhar and Golos Armenii newspapers have denounced the United States for interfering in Armenia's internal affairs, claimed that international organizations such as the National Democratic Institute (NDI) are promoting a "color revolution," and criticized a British official for his comments during a private meeting with an opposition leader. The newspapers, both rumored to receive funding from the head of the governing Republican Party, Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, had been less critical of the United States in recent years, but appear to have returned to their previous stances. This may well reflect the ruling elite's discomfort with the success of election support programs. End summary. -------------- NEWSPAPERS RETURN TO ANTI-U.S. STANCE -------------- ¶2. (C) While Hayots Ashkhar (in Armenian) and Golos Armenii (in Russian) were at one time considered to be anti-U.S., they had gradually moderated such criticism. In recent months, however, the two pro-government newspapers appear to have resumed the role of "attack dogs," presumably on behalf of the ruling party elite. They are criticizing not only the U.S. Embassy, but also denouncing U.S. policy in general, as well as the work of other Western missions and international organizations. This criticism has focused largely on the work that these organizations are doing in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections. -------------- -------------- ELECTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CALLED DOMESTIC INTERFERENCE -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) This shift began in January, 2007, when both papers published remarkably similar articles that characterized the U.S. government's well-publicized Democracy Support Program, to assist Armenia to hold free and fair elections, as interference in Armenia's internal affairs. Hayots Ashkhar said, "Today there are many 'cultural attaches' in Armenia, and it is written on their faces what they are doing. But at least they are not acting openly, while our American friend (the U.S. Charge d'Affaires) is not even trying to hide what he is up to....What government would allow an official tasked with removing the existing authorities through a revolutionary change in power to remain in the country?" Hayots Ashkhar also called on the Embassy to release the names of NGOs it was funding and proposed that Armenia should follow Russian President Putin's opposition to foreign financial support for political development. -------------- PAPERS CRITICIZE NDI AND OTHER NGOS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Hayots Ashkhar also published a number of articles criticizing international NGOs, especially NDI, claiming that they were attempting to foment revolution in Armenia. On March 23, the newspaper published an article accusing NDI and IRI of direct involvement in "color revolutions" in Ukraine, Georgia, and Serbia. The newspaper charged that NDI and other NGOs were trying to promote a similar revolution in Armenia. The following day, the newspaper published a continuation of this diatribe, saying that NDI was trying to unite Armenian youth against the government. On April 21, the newspaper printed an article in which it noted that very few people attended a rally organized by the opposition Republic Party, and claimed the only people who were present were representatives of international NGOs including NDI, USAID, Freedom House, NED, and the Soros Foundation. The article said that these representatives attended in order to determine whether it was "worthwhile" investing in that party's oft-stated desire to create a revolution. -------------- -------------- CRITICISM OF OPPOSITIONIST'S MEETING WITH WESTERN DIPLOMAT -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) On April 23, Golos Armenii published excerpts of a secretly recorded conversation between opposition Orinats SIPDIS Yerkir leader Artur Baghdasarian and the British DCM in Armenia. In addition to publishing excerpts from the tape, YEREVAN 00000592 002.2 OF 002 which many believe was recorded by the Armenian National Security Service (NSS),Golos Armenii criticized both the British diplomat and the opposition leader, saying that they "defamed" Armenia by making negative statements about Armenia's authorities. Hayots Ashkhar further criticized the British official, saying that the British Embassy's statement (i.e. that it was dismayed that a clandestine recording was made and released to the press) was "an unsuccessful and senseless attempt to justify the British Embassy's interference in Armenian internal affairs, which falls short of the principles of diplomatic ethics." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) The newspapers' change in attitude towards the United States appears to be linked largely to the upcoming parliamentary elections and concern that foreign election support might hurt the chances of the governing parties. The rumored link between the newspapers and Prime Minister Serge Sargsian is noteworthy, especially as Sargsian has recently been making public statements on not only the need for free and fair elections, but also asserting, "I don't remember a case of political pressure from the United States." It is judged by most observers that neither of these newspapers could have published these strong criticisms without at least the tacit concurrence, if not the explicit direction, of Armenia's ruling elite. Consequently, we cannot but believe that these anti-U.S. screeds demonstrate that key Armenian leaders are discomforted by the success of our democratization programs. GODFREY