US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN284

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, S/CT, INL, NP/ECS for JACHURLEY, 
NP/ECC for TGROEN, OSD FOR PWATSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PREL, PTER 
SUBJECT: CTAG MEETING HELD IN ARMENIA 
 
REF: STATE 14279 
 
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified, please protect 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (SBU) Post convened a coordination meeting of the 
Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) in Armenia 
February 2 in advance of the capital-level CTAG meeting 
to be held February 20 per reftel.  Representatives of 
CTAG embassies present in Armenia (France, Germany, 
Italy, Russia, and the United Kingdom), and 
representatives of the Government of Armenia attended 
the coordination meeting.  Each CTAG member identified 
his embassy's respective counter-terrorism related 
assistance, and discussed with GOAM officials potential 
areas of future cooperation.  Counter-terrorism 
assistance to Armenia, apart from U.S.- funded training 
and Export and Border Security programs and Russian 
assistance within the framework of Commonwealth of 
Independent States, remains limited.  GOAM officials 
highlighted the importance of continued training 
programs, and supported further cooperation in several 
areas, including equipment donations, increased 
intelligence sharing, assistance in preventing a 
scientific "brain-drain", and the strengthening of 
Armenian regulatory agencies. End summary. 
 
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OVERVIEW OF G-8 ASSISTANCE 
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3. (SBU) The United States and Russia maintain the 
largest counter-terrorism (CT) assistance programs to 
Armenia.  Other CTAG states have limited their CT- 
related support to security assistance at Zvartnots 
International Airport in Yerevan, and military training 
within the NATO Partnership for Peace framework. 
Following is the current CT support provided by CTAG 
members to Armenia: 
 
France 
- France has a small program at Zvartnots International 
Airport it began in 2003 to combat the use of 
fraudulent travel documents. 
 
Germany 
- Germany has a cooperative program with Russian Border 
Guards and Armenian Passport Control (OVIR) at 
Zvartnots International Airport to combat fraudulent 
travel documents. 
 
- Germany maintains joint military cooperation programs 
with the Armenian Ministry of Defense to train the 
Armenian peace-keeping detachment.  The program has a 
limited CT-training component. 
 
Italy 
- An Italian Embassy representative reported that they 
have no current CT-related assistance programs. 
 
Russia 
- Russia has an extensive CT partnership with Armenian 
within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent 
States (CIS).  Russia and Armenia participate in 
intelligence sharing and joint military and law 
enforcement training programs through the CIS anti- 
terrorism center. 
 
- Russian and Armenian authorities routinely hold bi- 
lateral meetings to discuss joint CT initiatives. 
 
- Russia and Armenia cooperate on border security 
initiatives.  Russian Border Guards patrol Armenia's 
borders with Turkey and Iran.  Armenian and Russian 
Border Guards seek increased inter-operability. 
 
- Russia donates and sells large amounts of military 
and law enforcement equipment to Armenia for CT 
efforts. 
 
United Kingdom 
- The United Kingdom has no current CT-related 
assistance programs in Armenia. 
 
United States 
- RSO reported that Armenia became a participant in the 
Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Anti-Terrorism 
Assistance Programs in April 2002.  Under these 
programs, the State Department has provided CT- 
training to approximately 250 Armenian law enforcement 
officials of the National Police and National Security 
Service. 
 
- The EXBS Program Advisor reported that approximately 
USD 1.3 million in CT related assistance programs in 
2004.  EXBS reported extensive cooperation with the 
Armenian National Security Service, Border Guard 
Service, Customs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Emergency Management Service, and Nuclear Regulatory 
Agency to enhance border security and anti- 
proliferation efforts.  EXBS has coordinated large 
equipment donations, including radios, ground sensors, 
generators and vehicles, to promote these efforts 
directed primarily at points of entry into Armenia. 
EXBS hopes to expand its training programs to include 
Russian Border Guards in the coming year. 
 
- DAO reported that the United States and Armenia have 
developed increased military cooperation in the past 
two years.  The United States provides military 
assistance programs primarily focused on developing an 
Armenian peace-keeping unit.  Some military training 
has a limited CT-related component. 
 
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GOAM IDENTIFIES AREAS FOR POTENTIAL ASSISTANCE 
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4.  (SBU) GOAM representatives from the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, National Security 
Service, Border Guard Service, and National Police 
attended the coordination meeting.  The GOAM officials 
expressed gratitude for the CT assistance CTAG members 
had provided to date, and hoped for increased future 
cooperation.  Arman Israelyan, Head of the MFA's Global 
Security Division, outlined potential areas of future 
CT assistance to the GOAM: 
 
- Further CT training programs that support GOAM 
efforts to develop a coordinated response to terrorist 
incidents among agencies. 
 
- Provision of equipment to promote GOAM CT efforts. 
 
- Increased intelligence sharing and coordination. 
 
- Assistance in preventing a continued 'brain-drain' of 
Armenian scientists, particularly those who worked in 
the Soviet weapons of mass destruction research and 
development sector. 
 
- Help in strengthening Armenian regulatory agencies, 
particularly those involving nuclear power and export 
control. 
 
- Assistance to GOAM bodies in developing effective CT 
legislation and implementation measures. 
 
5. (SBU) CTAG members agreed to meet in several months 
to discuss new initiatives and further plans for CT 
cooperation. 
 
ORDWAY