CDA DISCUSSES PARLIAMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000901

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID AM
SUBJECT: CDA DISCUSSES PARLIAMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN
INTRODUCTORY CALL ON SPEAKER


Classified By: CDA R.V. Perina, reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) CDA's introductory courtesy call on National Assembly
Chairman Tigran Torossian focused, after initial
pleasantries, on the embassy's plans for a new phase of
assistance to the newly-elected parliament. Torossian
allowed that he had not been completely satisfied with the
previous iteration of USAID assistance to the parliament, and
he hoped the next iteration would correct this. CDA steered
away from a detailed airing of past grievances, and expressed
the hope that we could instead agree fully on the future
direction. CDA left a non-paper listing our proposals,
inviting the speaker to give us his feedback after he had had
the opportunity to review and consider our thoughts.
Torossian agreed. He also expressed his satisfaction that
the recent parliamentary elections had been credited by
international observers as much better than Armenia's past
elections, and predicted the upcoming presidential election
would be better still. He welcomed CDA to Armenia, and
wished him a very successful stay. CDA expressed
satisfaction at returning to Armenia, but reaffirmed the
United States' commitment to appointing a permanent
ambassador as soon as possible.


2. (C) COMMENT: The previous legislative stregnthening
program had been negotiated with Torossian's predecessor, and
Torossian resented our unwillingness to tear up the workplan
and start fresh when he ascended to the speaker's chair. We
are now in the initial phases of working out the new program,
and hope to minimize the tetchy Speaker's direct involvement.
We welcomed Torossian's relatively realistic assessment of
the conduct of the May 12 parliamentary elections and his
commitment to further improve in time for the presidential
poll.
PERINA