US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN687

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000687 
 
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: TRAIN BOMBINGS 
IN MADRID 
 
1.  SUMMARY: Armenian media widely covered the 
terrorist bombing in Madrid.  The reports on TV and in 
the press were mainly factual.  The only article with 
commentaries was published in "Hayots Ashkhar" 
newspaper.  The following is the summary of the 
article. END SUMMARY 
 
WHO DOES AZNAR SUPPORT? 
 
2. Dashnak-affiliated HAYOTS ASHKHAR newspaper (03/18) 
published an article discussing the terrorist acts in 
Madrid.  "The terrorist acts in the Spanish capital 
were shocking in their brutality and enormous scale, 
and their cold-blooded and appalling planning.  More 
than 200 people were killed and some 1,500 people 
received various types of injuries.  Only Al Qaida 
operates like this, without any regard for sex or age, 
without considering the amount of guilt of the victims. 
The most terrible thing about this terrorist act was 
its predictability.  Of course, no one could have 
predicted the exact day and place of the terrorist act, 
nor could anyone predict exactly how the terrorists 
would strike Spain, but no one ever doubted that 
something like this would happen.  When the media 
reported about the tragedy in Madrid, no one doubted 
who was responsible for it.  No one, except... the 
Spanish government."  "Starting from their very first 
public statements, top government officials 
unhesitatingly blamed the military wing of the Basque 
separatists, ETA, for the blasts."  "By blaming the 
Basques, the Spanish authorities were moving the 
suspicion away from themselves, since there is no doubt 
at all that regular Spanish citizens are currently 
paying a price for their government's shortsighted and 
audacious policy."  "Doubtless, the roots of the 
current tragedy go back to the time when the ambitious 
[Prime Minister] Aznar decided to ignore the UN 
Security Council's opinion and enter the Anglo-American 
alliance [in Iraq]."  "The secret of this 
"shortsightedness" [meaning the government's insistence 
that ETA was responsible for the blasts] is clear: 
Spain was going to hold parliamentary elections three 
days after the terrorist acts, after which, according 
to the Spanish Constitution, the current Prime Minister 
could no longer occupy this post.  The farsighted Aznar 
had already found a replacement for himself when he 
appointed M. Rajo (sp.) to lead the Popular Party and 
he was hoping for a quiet life afterwards.  However, 
the terrorist acts clearly demonstrated the dangers of 
Aznar's audacious policy and cast serious doubts on his 
party's victory in the upcoming elections."  "The 
results of the Spanish elections are already known to 
our readers.  The Popular Party lost, despite the fact 
that, even a week before the elections, they were 
widely expected to win.  The Spanish people can forgive 
stupidity, but not lying." 
 
WALKER