US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN2456

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ARMENIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHES ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS

Identifier: 04YEREVAN2456
Wikileaks: View 04YEREVAN2456 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Yerevan
Created: 2004-11-09 02:55:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: PREL PHUM AM UNGA
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS YEREVAN 002456 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, WHA/CCA, IO/UNP, USUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, AM, UNGA 
SUBJECT:  ARMENIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHES ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS 
 
REF:  A) STATE 236869  B) STATE 237932 
 
(U) Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) We delivered reftel demarches to Artak 
Apitonian, Head of the UN Division at the Armenian 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
 
------- 
BELARUS 
------- 
 
2. (SBU) Regarding Belarus, Apitonian stated that 
Armenia is wavering between abstaining and voting 
against the resolution.  Armenia would be more likely 
to vote for a resolution containing "softer" language 
rather than the "hard line" Apitonian perceives in 
recent U.S. supported UNGA resolutions.  Armenia could 
possibly vote for Belarus's motion of no-action (ref 
B).  Apitonian promised, however, to vote against any 
Belarusian resolution critical of the U.S. election. 
 
------------ 
TURKMENISTAN 
------------ 
 
3. (SBU) Armenia is likely to maintain last year's 
position on the Turkmenistan resolution and abstain. 
Apitonian noted that Turkmenistan voted with Azerbaijan 
on the last Nagorno-Karabagh (N-K) resolution.  Armenia 
could vote for the Turkmenistan resolution if it 
perceived a hardening in the Turkmen position, but this 
scenario is unlikely. 
 
------------------ 
SUDAN AND ZIMBABWE 
------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) Apitonian stated that Armenia would vote for 
both the Sudan and Zimbabwe resolutions.  He qualified 
this position, however, with the caveat that if 
Zimbabwe threatened to vote with Azerbaijan on its 
current N-K resolution, Armenia might modify its vote 
on Zimbabwe. 
 
---- 
IRAN 
---- 
 
5. (SBU) Although Armenia recognizes Iran's human 
rights abuses, Apitonian stated that Armenia could not 
vote for the resolution on Iran and would likely 
abstain.  He continued to note that concern for the 
welfare of the large ethnic Armenian population in Iran 
and the importance of trade relations prevent Armenia 
from taking a stronger stance. 
EVANS 

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