US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN869

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000869 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, AM 
SUBJECT:  APRIL 12 DEMONSTRATIONS, MARCH TO THE 
PRESIDENT END WITHOUT INCIDENT 
 
REFS: A) YEREVAN 809  B) YEREVAN 844  C) YEREVAN 860 
 
1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please treat 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (SBU) Between five and ten thousand opposition 
demonstrators rallied peacefully April 12 in Yerevan 
on Opera Square before moving roughly half a mile 
down a major street toward the Presidential Palace. 
Authorities made no attempts to slow or stop the 
protesters until they reached a line of concertina 
wire protecting the final approach to the Palace. 
Demonstrators and authorities showed restraint with 
no incidents by 9:30 p.m. local time.  End Summary. 
 
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MARCH PAST THE EMBASSY 
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3. (SBU) Several thousand demonstrators moved along 
Baghramian Street and past our Embassy without 
incident on their way to the Presidential Palace 
before they stopped at the concertina wire barricade 
roughly two blocks from the Palace.  The restrained 
crowd chanted an occasional "Kocharian Out," 
listened to speeches and traditional Armenian folk 
music and slowly trickled away, although a 
significant number of opposition supporters were 
still milling on the street as darkness fell at 9:30 
local time. 
 
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BOTH SIDES SHOW RESTRAINT 
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4. (SBU) With ambulances, special service troops and 
water canon standing by, authorities let the 
opposition demonstrate without attempting to 
intervene.  The marchers proceeded in an orderly 
fashion, with no pushing against the barrier or even 
jostling each other.  Both the government and the 
opposition clearly wanted to avoid violence. 
 
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COMMENT:  THEY CAME, THEY PROTESTED, THEY WENT HOME 
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5. (SBU) Although we expect that protests will 
continue in the short term (beautiful spring weather 
is certainly contributing to the opposition's 
ability to draw crowds) we do not anticipate any 
more serious consequences.  The "revolutionary 
spark" was simply not present at the April 12 
demonstration and march; in fact, the atmosphere was 
nearer that of a home football game (or a family 
picnic that just wouldn't end) than that of an 
enraged body politic. 
ORDWAY