KOCHARIAN: "U.S. INTERFERES IN ARMENIA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 000308

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM AM
SUBJECT: KOCHARIAN: "U.S. INTERFERES IN ARMENIA'S
ELECTIONS"

Classified By: AMB Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) The Ambassador called May 8 on ex-President Robert
Kocharian to hear his views on Armenia's recent joint
statement with Turkey regarding normalization of relations
(septel),and learn of his plans for Yerevan's upcoming May
31 municipal election that will decide the capital's next
mayor. When the Ambassador asked him about the upcoming
mayoral election, Kocharian asserted that "the diplomatic
corps should not politicize them." Kocharian said "they
(foreign diplomats) always use them to pressure Armenia -- it
was that way as long as I was president." The Ambassador
responded that the United States does not interfere in
Armenia's elections, but that it would carefully watch the
upcoming election given the fact that it affected half of the
population in Armenia.


2. (C) Kocharian griped that "the problem in small countries
like ours is that the pressure always comes from the outside
-- from either Moscow, Brussels, or Washington." "You deform
our political process in the pursuit of your interests,"
Kocharian declared, "by encouraging the opposition to
politicize our elections so that they become an instrument
for outsiders to pressure Armenia."


3. (C) Kocharian said "I always thought that the U.S. embassy
became a party during our elections." He grumbled that
during elections, "the worst are the British (because of
their history of imperialism),then the Americans, and
sometimes the French -- the opposition uses all of you, which
complicates the situation." The Ambassador strongly
disagreed with Kocharian, and affirmed that the United States
does not take any side in any election. The Ambassador said
that as always, however, the United States would share its
opinion with others on its observations of the upcoming
election.


4. (C) When asked whether he was going to get involved in the
May 31 election, Kocharian said he would not because he is
sure the Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia will win.
He added that "If I thought they could lose, then I would get
involved." Kocharian said he disagreed with the ruling
coalition's decision to contest the elections as separate
parties, asserting that "I would have gotten them to present
one unified candidate to represent the entire coalition."
Kocharian said he also disapproved of the candidate whom the
Republican Party had chosen to top their list (the newly
appointed mayor, Gagik Beglarian). Kocharian lastly assured
the Ambassador that although the opposition seeks to
politicize the election, there will not be a replay of the
March 1 events from 2008.
YOVANOVITCH