Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YEREVAN555
2008-07-08 12:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UPBEAT, ENGAGED ON FIGHTING TIP

Tags:  PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM HSTC AM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1803
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #0555 1901207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081207Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7782
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0639
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000555 


SENSITIVE

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM HSTC AM
SUBJECT: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UPBEAT, ENGAGED ON FIGHTING TIP

(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000555


SENSITIVE

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KTIP KCRM HSTC AM
SUBJECT: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UPBEAT, ENGAGED ON FIGHTING TIP

(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) On July 4, Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorkian convoked
his first meeting with the international community and NGOs in his
capacity as chair of the new Ministerial Anti-Trafficking Council.
He asserted that henceforth no one will doubt the seriousness of
Armenian intentions on fighting trafficking. He informed the group
that starting in 2009 anti-TIP expenditures will be a separate
line-item in the government budget, and called for continuing
cooperation with the international community and NGOs in this area.



2. (SBU) Gevorkian invited interested international organizations,
embassies, and NGOs to attend the Ministerial Council meetings and
promised regular meetings in this format (he and the
anti-trafficking community: international organizations and local
NGOs). Following the creation of the Ministerial Council in
December 2007, the Council's first meeting, delayed by the internal
political crises, took place only on June 26. (Note: The
international community was first invited, then disinvited from
attending this initial meeting, as the Council wanted to have its
first introductory meeting in private. End note.) According to
Gevorkian, the next meeting of the Council (set to take place in
September) will focus on the activities of law-enforcement bodies
in this area, as he acknowledged that most criticism has been
directed against these agencies.


3. (SBU) Gevorgian said that the ministerial council discussed the
Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report at its
first meeting, and expressed readiness to discuss other trafficking
reports as well. During a brief side conversation with Emboffs,
Gevorkian promised to look into the issue of escaped trafficker
Anush Zakharyants, which we have repeatedly highlighted as an
important bellwether of Armenian anti-TIP commitment. During the
individual presentations of the NGOs and international organizations
on their anti-trafficking programs, he expressed hope that these
(including USG funded programs) will continue.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: Gevorkian gave every indication that he intends
to engage himself regularly and substantively on the
anti-trafficking issue, which we take as a very encouraging sign.
There was always the risk that this new, high-level anti-TIP council
we had urged upon the GOAM might prove in its execution to be an
empty formality -- a formulaic sop to international pressure. While
we have certainly had our differences with Gevorkian from time to
time in the past, he may be just the right man for this job.
Gevorkian is a powerful force behind the scenes. If he chooses to
take on the anti-TIP fight as a personal priority, that could augur
significant positive steps.

PENNINGTON