US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN786

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000786 
 
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 BY MAJOR GENERAL JEFFERY KOHLER 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY: Major General Jeffery Kohler, the Director 
of Plans and Policy for the U.S. European Command, paid 
a two-day visit to Armenia on March 30-31.  Immediately 
before departure he gave a press conference, with more 
than twenty media outlets participating.  The TV 
reports were mainly factual, while papers carried some 
editorials.  In general the reaction of the media to 
the press conference was positive.  The following is 
the summary of the articles.  END SUMMARY 
 
THE UNITED STATES WILL RESTORE SANCTIONS 
IF THERE IS MILITARY ACTION ON THE BORDER 
 
2. Opposition newspaper ARAVOT (04/01) published a 
mainly factual report on the press conference.  "As to 
the murder of the Armenian officer in Budapest, Mr. 
Kohler refrained from commenting on the question and 
left it to the Hungarian authorities."  "Jeffrey Kohler 
stated with special emphasis that the program 
[Partnership for Peace] consists of two main words - 
partnership and peace." 
 
WHY DID THE GENERAL COME 
 
3. Opposition newspaper HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK (04/01) 
focused on the sanctions that the U.S. might use should 
there be a resumption of military action on the contact 
line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan.  "By saying 
sanctions he meant the block on U.S. military support 
provided to Armenia and Azerbaijan, which was lifted 
two years ago.  The answer by the Major General was 
given in relation to the recent statement Deputy 
Secretary of State Richard Armitage made two days ago 
 
SIPDIS 
in Baku.  According to the Azeri press, the Deputy 
Secretary of State expressed concern over the delay in 
 
SIPDIS 
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and, 
underlining the recent clashes that took place in 
Kosovo, said that in the current situation there might 
also be military action on the border of Karabakh.   In 
this case it was very important that Major General 
Jeffery Kohler, the Director of Plans and Policy for 
the U.S. European Command, did not try to refute the 
possibility of military action on the border of 
Karabakh.  He just pointed out that the policy of the 
U.S. government regarding the Karabakh conflict is that 
it should be resolved by peaceful means."  "It could be 
assumed from the General's words that, should military 
action start up again on the Karabakh border line, the 
conflicting sides would have to forget about 
cooperation with the U.S., especially the side that 
starts the conflict." 
 
ARMENIANS CAN BE PROUD OF THEIR PEACEKEEPERS 
 
4. Dashnak-affiliated HAYOTS ASHKHAR daily (04/01) "It 
is not clear why J. Kohler avoided speaking about the 
murder of the Armenian lieutenant, leaving the answer 
to the Hungarian officials. He spoke more distinctly on 
the issue of changing the venue for the "Cooperative 
Best Effort - 2004" exercises, which are expected to be 
held in Azerbaijan. The Major General stressed that the 
issue is not within the competence of the U.S. European 
Command, noting this issue belongs to NATO. It is to be 
mentioned that Major General Jeffery Kohler, the 
Director of Plans and Policy for the U.S. European 
Command, was saying that he has no direct relation to 
NATO-related issues.  We would like to draw attention 
to this fact, taking into account a recent publication 
in one of the local papers with its `deep and serious' 
analysis saying that it can be concluded that Kohler's 
visit to Armenia is connected with Armenia's membership 
in NATO and certain guarantees that need to be heard 
from the Armenian side.  However, it is obvious that 
even if it were necessary to address such topics, the 
Armenian authorities would not talk to J. Kohler about 
any NATO-related issues.  It has been frequently 
mentioned at the highest levels that Armenia is simply 
cooperating with NATO within the Partnership for Peace 
program and has no intention to join that 
organization."  "Judging from everything he said it can 
be assumed that Jeffrey Kohler liked Armenia." 
 
 
WALKER