US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN2387

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 002387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/SNEC, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, AM, UNGA 
SUBJECT:  GOAM DENIES SETTLEMENTS IN THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES, REQUESTS USG SUPPORT IN THE UNGA 
 
REFS:  A) USUN NEW YORK 2339  B) USUN NEW YORK 2413 
 
1. (U) Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please treat 
accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (SBU) In a strongly-worded diplomatic note 
addressed to the Embassy October 28, the Government 
of Armenia denied any illegal activity in the 
occupied territories and requested that the United 
States vote against the inclusion of the new agenda 
item proposed by Azerbaijan for inclusion in the 
59th General Assembly.  End Summary. 
 
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TEXT OF GOAM DIPLOMATIC NOTE NO. 8/12007 
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3. (SBU) The English-language text of the diplomatic 
note follows.  Begin Text: 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
of the Republic of Armenia 
 
No. 8/12007 
 
The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Armenia 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the 
United States of America and has the honor to refer 
to the new agenda item presented by the Republic of 
Azerbaijan for inclusion into the agenda of the 59th 
session of the UN General Assembly. 
 
The Ministry would kindly ask the Embassy to take 
into consideration the following.  The matter that 
is being raised by Azerbaijan is neither a matter of 
urgency, nor in fact a real issue.  Azerbaijan 
states that the four UN Security Council resolutions 
remain unimplemented.  Indeed, Armenia has done 
exactly as the resolutions state, and used its good 
offices to ameliorate the situation.  That is why in 
the face of Azerbaijan's continued refusal to talk 
to the leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia 
continues to negotiate with Azerbaijan. 
 
As for the existence of 'illegal activities' in the 
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, suffice it 
to say that each time Azerbaijan raises this issue 
in one or another international forum, Armenia 
responds by inviting any legitimate delegation to 
visit the region and see for themselves.  Azerbaijan 
consistently opposes international observers' visits 
to the territories.  (An offer was made in April to 
the UN Office on Drug and Crime.  Another offer was 
made in June to UNESCO.  Both times, Armenians 
extended the invitation, and Azerbaijan blocked the 
effort.) 
 
Still, Azerbaijan continues to make unfounded 
allegations.  Their most recent effort involves the 
politically loaded term 'settlements'.  This motion 
is a politically motivated effort to manipulate 
opinion, to create the kind of environment, which 
Azerbaijan believes will provide it with dividends 
both domestically and abroad.  Instead, what it will 
surely do is derail the peace process, which despite 
Azerbaijan's public outcries involves substantive 
explorations of prospects and possibilities. 
 
The focus of these negotiations is the issues of 
refugees, territories and the status of Nagorno- 
Karabakh.  The issue of territories continues to 
remain part of the package that is being negotiated. 
Until those negotiations are concluded, journalists, 
international aid workers, delegations from think 
tanks and academic and political institutions visit 
the region regularly, travel through those 
territories, and have never raised the issue of 
Armenian settlements there.  There are no Armenian 
settlements there. 
 
The most recent conflict resolution proposal which 
was produced as a result of talks between the 
presidents of the two countries itemizes in detail 
all the steps necessary for a final settlement: 
status of Nagorno-Karabakh, withdrawal timeline, 
demilitarized zones and return of refugees, 
peacekeepers.  In a word, every problematic subject 
is covered.  There is not a single word there on 
settlements.  Again, that is because there are no 
Armenian settlements there. 
 
Various European institutions have rapporteurs 
assigned to the region who are particularly 
interested in the conflict and regularly prepare 
reports on their visits.  The OSCE Chairman-in- 
Office Special Envoy on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem 
writes detailed monthly reports on the region.  He 
includes a wide array of information, including much 
that is not specifically within his mandate, but 
which is relevant to the conflict and its context. 
In none of those reports is there a single mention 
of settlements. 
 
This non-issue is being artificially raised by 
Azerbaijan to the level of urgent problem.  Armenia 
has 400,000 refugees of its own as a result of this 
15-year-old conflict.  There could not be such 
settlements or even a policy as the Armenians have 
intentionally refrained from encouraging such 
settlements.  Even though they may have provided 
some domestic dividends, they would clearly 
complicate the process of a lasting resolution. 
 
The Armenian side is ready to host any groups or 
observers who wish to come and personally see the 
situation on those lands for themselves.  It will be 
eminently clear that there is no "new demographic 
situation" there. 
 
The Government of Armenia would very much appreciate 
if the Government of the United States votes against 
the inclusion of this agenda item raised by 
Azerbaijan at the 59th session of the General 
Assembly to avert this attempt of Azerbaijan to 
further politicize the issue at this crucial time in 
the negotiation process. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of 
Armenia avails itself of this opportunity to renew 
to the Embassy of the United States the assurances 
of its highest consideration. 
 
October 28 
 
Embassy of the 
United States of America 
Yerevan 
End Text. 
 
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COMMENT 
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4. (SBU) While we concur overall with the 
unhelpfulness of the proposed agenda item, we can in 
no way certify to the facts alleged in this 
diplomatic note, particularly not the assertion that 
there are 400,000 refugees in Armenia. 
EVANS