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