US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN1109

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001109 
 
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: ARMENIAN MEDIA 
ON THE SITUATION IN AJARIA 
 
1.  SUMMARY: Armenian mass media widely covered the 
recent developments in Ajaria and Georgia and paid 
special attention to the resignation of Ajaria's 
leader, Aslan Abashidze.  The press outlined the 
importance of the recent political developments for 
their possible impact on Armenia and on the whole 
region.  The Foreign Ministry of Armenia made a short 
statement welcoming the peaceful resolution of the 
conflict. END SUMMARY 
 
STATEMENT BY ARMENIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY 
 
2. The Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry said: 
"Official Yerevan expressed satisfaction that the 
confrontation between Georgian central authorities and 
the leadership of the Adjaria autonomous region was 
resolved peacefully and without bloodshed.  Such a 
resolution was another important step on the path to 
establishing peace and stability in Georgia, and 
therefore in the whole South Caucasus.  In this regard, 
we welcome the Georgian authorities' consistent and 
resolute policy which helped overcome this obstacle." 
 
REACTIONS IN THE MEDIA 
 
SWAN SONG OF THE AJARIAN LION 
 
3. Government official Armenian language daily 
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN (05/07) tries to explain the 
recent events in Ajaria as the result of superpower 
interests in the region.  "The recent events in Ajaria 
obviously demonstrated the interests that superpowers 
have in the region and showed the new allocation of 
power in the South Caucasus.  We can definitely see 
that the superpowers are paying more attention to the 
economic factor rather than to the military in 
protecting their political interests, i.e. they push 
forward their economic interests, by means of which 
they are trying to dictate their rules of the game. 
The recent turmoil around Ajaria can be explained by 
the economic interests of superpowers.  European 
structures, as well as Moscow and Washington, were 
actively involved in the resolution of the conflict. 
In the current situation there might be a question as 
to why these superpowers are so interested in the 
developments in this small autonomous region.  Ajaria's 
only treasure, and at the same time misfortune, is the 
port of Batumi, which served as the cause of a serious 
struggle."  "After Abashidze's resignation Sahakashvili 
stated that Georgia's reunification has started. 
However, it should be noted that as opposed to Ajaria, 
there are many ethnic conflicts in Abkhazia and South 
Osetia, the resolution of which would be rather 
difficult for official Tbilisi.  Coming back to the 
developments in Ajaria, it should be mentioned that the 
peaceful resolution of the crisis directly affects 
Armenia's interests.  For Armenia, the thing of utmost 
importance is the reopening of Ajaria's railroad, which 
now will become a priority in the agenda of official 
Tbilisi." 
 
THE SUNSET OF THE ABSHIDZE FAMILY 
 
4. Centrist Armenian language daily AZG (05/07) 
outlined the role of Russia in the settlement of the 
conflict and future plans of Sahakashvili.  "As of May 
6 the `tsar' of Ajaria is Sahakashvili.  Igor Ivanov, 
the secretary of the Russian Security Council, arrived 
in Batumi at night and took Abashidze and his family 
members to Moscow with him.  What happened in Tbilisi 
on November 22, 2003 was repeated in Batumi.  Both 
Shevarnadze and Aslan Abashidze left the political 
arena under the pressure of the people without any 
blood and fire.  In both cases the mediator was the 
emissary of the Kremlin, Igor Ivanov, who is Georgian 
on his mother's side. In a recent interview given to 
Azg, Sahakashvili said that, as during the days of the 
rose revolution Ivanov came to rescue Shevarnadze, on 
the 6th of May he came to Batumi at the invitation of 
Sahakashvili to rescue Abashidze and prevent war 
between Georgia and Ajaria.  Sahakashvili promised the 
people of Batumi that Ajaria is the beginning of the 
reconsolidation [of Georgia]; next it will be 
Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's turn. However, today 
does not seem to be the time for settling the Abkhazian 
conflict.  First of all the Georgian authorities should 
establish order in Ajaria, by distributing posts 
previously occupied by members of the Abashidze family 
clan among Sahakashvili's supporters." 
 
LION'S SONG 
 
5. Oppositionist Armenian daily ARAVOT (05/07) wrote: 
"After the first unsuccessful collision between newly- 
elected Mikhail Sahakashvili and Ajarian feudal lord 
Abashidze, Russian media was filled with derisive and 
sometimes mocking publications.  In those publications 
Sahakashvili was presented as a failed and hot-tempered 
young man who was feverishly trying to dethrone the 
`experienced' and `serious' figure.  Some Armenian mass 
media as well put forth all possible efforts to mock 
the newly elected Sahakashvili, who came to power on a 
wave of public emotion and who had the open support of 
the West.  But recently the irony has abruptly 
lessened. Maybe people here have started to understand 
that it is indecent to defend the local lord, who 
opposes all the existing laws and the constitution of 
the country, who is fully corrupted and who thinks only 
about the self-interest of his clan, and from the other 
side to mock somebody who is the favorite of the 
people.  Following Abashidze's loss of Moscow's 
support, the Ajarians, who are almost the same as 
Georgians, didn't resist even one hour during the 
second collision with Sahakashvili.  Again the people 
won in Georgia and that victory is more than precious 
as it fully reflects the idea of legitimacy of the 
authorities [i.e., elected to power by the will of the 
people]." 
 
ASLAN HAS ESCAPED 
 
6. Oppositionist Armenian daily HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK 
(05/07) expressed admiration for the Georgian President 
and thinly veiled disappointment with the current 
leader of Armenia.  "Georgian President Mikhail 
Sahakashvili once again won the day's major political 
battle and achieved Abashidze's resignation and escape 
from Georgia.  Especially after the escape of the 
Ajarian `Lion,' political analysts began to take more 
seriously the promise by Sahakashvili to restore 
regional integrity.  Yes, Sahakashvili won the 
principal battle.  But it happened not because the 
Georgian president is a warrior or the only man in 
Georgia.  It happened because the Georgian people 
believe in their leader, it happened because the 
Georgian people and authorities are a single entity and 
the authorities arose from the people.  And all the 
Georgian people, the whole nation of Georgia won.  It 
goes without saying that Abashidze's resignation is not 
considered an intra-Georgian event only.  The already- 
existing great international authority [influence, 
reputation] of Sahakashvili will grow, and it is 
evident that he will start to be accepted as a leader 
of the South Caucasus by the international community 
and his opinion will be of great importance in dealing 
with South Caucasus issues.  Of course we should be 
glad for the success of our neighbors but we should not 
forget about our problems.  But in this case Armenia 
faces another problem.  Robert Kocharian will always 
remain in the shadow of Sahakashvili.  So, Armenia has 
the task of finding a leader like Mikhail 
Sahakashvili." 
 
ORDWAY