US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN657

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, EB/TPP/BTA FOR JPSCHUTTE, USTR FOR 
KKUHLMAN, USTR/GENEVA FOR AGREENIDGE 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, ECON, AM 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA PUSHING HARD ON JACKSON-VANIK 
 
1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
protect accordingly. 
 
2. (SBU) Deputy Minister of Trade Tigran Davtyan called for 
a meeting with us March 17, 2004 to protest the failure of 
the United States to graduate Armenia from the restrictions 
of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.  Davtyan said that Jackson- 
Vanik puts Armenia in the same legal position (i.e., non- 
application of WTO) with the United States as with Turkey, a 
fact which he described as "uncomfortable."  He also pointed 
out that the U.S. graduated Georgia from Jackson-Vanik 
within six months of its accession to the WTO.  "We want 
equal treatment" with Georgia, Davtyan insisted.  He also 
argued that uncertainty based on Armenia's year-to-year need 
for waivers or findings of compliance discouraged investment 
in trade with the United States.  Davtyan added that he 
avoids the topic of the United States' non-application 
status when speaking to businessmen or the public, but that 
as time goes on he foresees the situation becoming "very 
embarrassing." 
 
3. (SBU) Davtyan told us that the Armenian Embassy in 
Washington had been instructed to deliver a similar message, 
and that the GOAM had resolved to push the issue strongly on 
all fronts because they feel that too much time has passed 
with no movement forward. 
WALKER