US embassy cable - 03YEREVAN3091

UNCLAS YEREVAN 003091 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN; DRL; EUR/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, AM 
SUBJECT:  GOAM REJECTS A1+ BROADCAST TENDER APPLICATION 
FOR SEVENTH TIME 
 
 
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
2. (SBU) Armenia's Radio and Television National 
Commission announced December 30 that it would reject 
the bid of the A1+ media group for the last available 
television frequency.  The announcement marked the 
seventh time since 2002 (the fourth time this year) 
that the GOAM rejected a bid by the controversial but 
popular media organization.  Critics of the move called 
it a de facto ban on A1+ as retribution for critical 
reports on President Robert Kocharian's administration. 
The OSCE and foreign missions in Yerevan (including the 
Embassy) expressed concern over previous rejections of 
A1+ bids as detrimental to press freedom in Armenia. 
Another frequency will not become available for re- 
tendering until 2008, meaning A1+ will probably be out 
of operation for the duration of Kocharian's second 
term in office. 
 
3. (SBU) Radio and Television National Commission 
President Grigor Amalyan stood by the decision, citing 
problems with A1+'s business plan as the reason for the 
rejection.  He denied allegations that the winner of 
this latest bid, Yerkir-Media, was officially linked to 
the ruling coalition member Dashnaksutiun (ARF) party. 
(Comment:  Armenian media law forbids political parties 
from owning broadcast media outlets.  Claims that the 
ARF does not control Yerkir-media are weak at best. 
The decision to grant the bid to Yerkir-Media could be 
a violation of current media law as well as another 
move against A1+.  End comment.)  President Kocharian 
made similarly unapologetic comments regarding the 
decision, claiming that opposition viewpoints already 
got considerable airtime in Armenia even without A1+. 
WALKER