(SBU) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS OR

S E C R E T STATE 088239 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL AM SUBJECT: (SBU) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS POSING A POLITICAL THREAT TO ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SARGSIAN (C-RE9-01647) Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FURTHER INSIGHTS POST CAN PROVIDE ON INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS WHO POSE A POLITICAL THREAT TO PRESIDENT SARGSIAN'S ADMINISTRATION. INFORMATION ON THEIR PERSONAL OR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY ARMENIAN FIGURES AND/OR PRESIDENT SARGSIAN IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ANALYSTS. ADDITIONAL REPORTING COVERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (C) WHAT IS FORMER PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN'S GOAL IN HIS REPORTED BEHIND-THE-SCENES MANEUVERING? WHICH OFFICIALS ARE LOYAL TO KOCHARIAN AND WHICH HAVE TRANSFERRED LOYALTY TO PRESIDENT SARGSIAN? HOW DOES POST CHARACTERIZE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KOCHARIAN AND PRESIDENT SARGSIAN: CONTENTIOUS OR STILL COOPERATIVE? ¶B. (C) WHAT IS HEAD OF THE PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY GAGIK TSARUKIAN'S CURRENT INFLUENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT? IS HE STILL BACKING FORMER PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN? ¶C. (C) HOW DO ARMENIAN OLIGARCHS AND BUSINESSMEN VIEW THE POSSIBILITY OF OPENING THE BORDER WITH TURKEY? HOW ARE ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES AFFECTING TAX ISSUES AND POLICE SERVICE? ¶D. (C) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF RULE OF LAW PARTY HEAD ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN'S, RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT SARGSIAN? WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, DOES BAGHDASARIAN HAVE IN POLICYMAKING? DOES HE HAVE ANY CONSTITUENCY LEFT AMONG THE PUBLIC AND WHAT ARE HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? ¶E. (C) AS AN OPPOSITION STRUCTURE, IS THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) WELL-ORGANIZED AND STRONG ENOUGH TO ENDURE EVEN IF ITS LEADER, LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN (LTP),RETURNED TO SECLUSION? HOW STRONG IS LTP'S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC BASE. ¶F. (C) PLEASE CHARACTERIZE LTP'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ARMENIAN ELITES, BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF GOVERNMENT. ¶G. (C) PLEASE CHARACTERIZE THE ROLE OF DASHNAKS AS AN OPPOSITION STRUCTURE, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH KEY ARMENIAN ELITES, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF GOVERNMENT. ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-01647 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON