US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN516

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000516 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR-STHIBEAULT, EUR/PPD-MLOGSDON AND 
SRUEDY, EUR/CACEN-ESIDEREAS, EUR, EUR/ACE, EUR/SNEC, 
EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958; N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OPRC, PGOV, PREL, KPAO, AM 
SUBJECT: REACTION FROM YEREVAN, ARMENIA: PRESS 
CONFERENCE OF AMBASSADOR JOHN ORDWAY 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY: All mass media widely covered Ambassador 
John Ordway's press conference held on February 27. TV 
reports were mainly accurate and factual.  The printed 
press, however, carried some comments on the 
Ambassador's answers regarding the murder of the 
Armenian officer in Budapest and the Karabakh peace 
process.  The following is the summary of those 
articles. END SUMMARY 
 
DELAY WILL NOT BRING ANY BENEFIT. U.S. WILL DO 
EVERYTHING TO PREVENT RESUMPTION OF WAR 
 
2.Oppositionist Armenian daily HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK 
(02/28) wrote: "Ambassador Ordway mentioned that the 
likelihood of a resumption of military action is very 
low and they (the U.S.) will do everything to make sure 
this does not happen.  Mr. Ordway assured several times 
during the press conference that they don't see 
preparations on either side for breaking the cease- 
fire."  "As to the militaristic statements recently 
heard from Azerbaijan, the West, as it became clear 
from the US Ambassador's words, does not take them 
seriously.  According to John Ordway, if we study the 
situation over a period of several years, we can see 
that sometimes these threats and statements were made 
more frequently.  At the same time, Ambassador Ordway 
mentioned numerous times during the conference that 
such statements were made on both sides."  Commenting 
on Kocharian-Aliyev meetings the newspaper wrote: 
"Ordway expressed hope that those meetings would 
continue in the future and would take place both as 
special meetings and within the framework of 
international events.  It can be concluded from this 
that there are no talks about concrete meetings." 
 
POSSIBILITY OF ROSE REVOLUTION DOES NOT REFER TO ANY 
CONCRETE COUNTRY 
 
3. Centrist Armenian language daily AZG (02/28) wrote: 
"The monthly press conference with US Ambassador John 
Ordway almost became a discussion on the situation in 
the region."  Commenting on the recent statements made 
by Azeri President Aliyev on starting the negotiation 
process (on Nagorno Karabakh) from zero the newspaper 
said:  "However, the Ambassador does not think that 
Azerbaijan's intention to start negotiations from zero 
implies moving the process to the battle field."  "As 
to the militaristic statements, the Ambassador is sure 
- as opposed to the journalists' insistency - that 
similar statements were also made in Armenia, and one 
can be convinced of that by reading the local press." 
As to the negotiation process the newspaper wrote: 
"The Ambassador mentioned that he saw indications from 
both sides on their readiness to restart the 
negotiations, being committed to the previous 
principles.  In spite of journalists' insistent 
efforts, John Ordway did not reveal what those 
indications were." 
 
NEGOTIATION PROCESS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED 
 
4. Dashnak-affiliated HAYOTS ASHKHAR (02/28) wrote: 
"In spite of all the attempts by the Azeri side to deny 
the existence of the Paris and Key West principles, the 
Ambassador actually confirmed that there were such 
principles."  "The Ambassador stated that there is no 
need to pay attention to militaristic statements, which 
according to him, are made not only in Azerbaijan but 
also in Armenia.  When asked to bring a single concrete 
example the Ambassador tried to avoid this answer and 
suggested reading the (Armenian) press."  "In 
connection with the murder of the Armenian officer in 
Budapest the Ambassador expressed regret but refused to 
predict what kind of impact this might have on the 
negotiation process."  "At the same time the Ambassador 
does not think that Azerbaijan should be left out of 
further NATO programs because of the crime committed in 
Budapest.  It turned out that it is still `too early to 
draw conclusions as to the motives of this murder.'  It 
is not new that politics implies double standards.  But 
at least in this case one does not have to be that 
duplicitous." 
 
 
ORDWAY