Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YEREVAN1002
2008-12-15 14:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
INSTANT REPLAY: NO VENUE YET FOR OPPOSITION
how-toVZCZCXRO6514 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHYE #1002 3501413 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 151413Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8412 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS YEREVAN 001002
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INSTANT REPLAY: NO VENUE YET FOR OPPOSITION
CONGRESS
REF: A. YEREVAN 406
B. YEREVAN 999
UNCLAS YEREVAN 001002
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INSTANT REPLAY: NO VENUE YET FOR OPPOSITION
CONGRESS
REF: A. YEREVAN 406
B. YEREVAN 999
1. (SBU) On December 12, Levon Zurabian, a top LTP aide and
coordinator of the ANC, publicly threatened to hold a planned
conference in Tbilisi should the ANC not receive permission
by December 15 to hold it at the Government Sessions Hall.
Having applied on December 3, Zurabian said that absent an
official reply by that time, the ANC would consider that
their application to hold the conference has been refused.
Zurabian told Emboff early on December 15 that the ANC has to
date received only a verbal response, over the phone, from
the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, who is reported to have
said the application would not be approved.
2. (SBU) Zurabian noted that the ANC has also requested
rented meeting space at the upscale Marriott and Congress
hotels in downtown Yerevan, but that the hotels have refused
their requests. Zurabian added that the ANC on December 12
also submitted a second application to hold the conference,
in the name of the Republic Party (one of the 16 political
parties making up the ANC),asking for any date between
December 20-23 at the Government Sessions Hall. The GOAM has
yet to reply to Zurabian's statements.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Should the ANC be denied a venue, it will
be the latest in a string of at least two dozen denied venue
requests to NGOs, international organizations, and political
parties (ref B). Regarding this ANC request, the tactics of
both the government and the opposition are reminiscent of
those deployed in late April, when the authorities waited
until the last minute, reportedly after the ANC threatened to
hold the conference in Georgia, before providing the venue to
the ANC. The ANC eventually held its first conference at the
venue on May 2 (ref A). END COMMENT.
YOVANOVITCH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INSTANT REPLAY: NO VENUE YET FOR OPPOSITION
CONGRESS
REF: A. YEREVAN 406
B. YEREVAN 999
1. (SBU) On December 12, Levon Zurabian, a top LTP aide and
coordinator of the ANC, publicly threatened to hold a planned
conference in Tbilisi should the ANC not receive permission
by December 15 to hold it at the Government Sessions Hall.
Having applied on December 3, Zurabian said that absent an
official reply by that time, the ANC would consider that
their application to hold the conference has been refused.
Zurabian told Emboff early on December 15 that the ANC has to
date received only a verbal response, over the phone, from
the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, who is reported to have
said the application would not be approved.
2. (SBU) Zurabian noted that the ANC has also requested
rented meeting space at the upscale Marriott and Congress
hotels in downtown Yerevan, but that the hotels have refused
their requests. Zurabian added that the ANC on December 12
also submitted a second application to hold the conference,
in the name of the Republic Party (one of the 16 political
parties making up the ANC),asking for any date between
December 20-23 at the Government Sessions Hall. The GOAM has
yet to reply to Zurabian's statements.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Should the ANC be denied a venue, it will
be the latest in a string of at least two dozen denied venue
requests to NGOs, international organizations, and political
parties (ref B). Regarding this ANC request, the tactics of
both the government and the opposition are reminiscent of
those deployed in late April, when the authorities waited
until the last minute, reportedly after the ANC threatened to
hold the conference in Georgia, before providing the venue to
the ANC. The ANC eventually held its first conference at the
venue on May 2 (ref A). END COMMENT.
YOVANOVITCH