US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN45

S E C R E T YEREVAN 000045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MARR, KCFE, AM, OSCE 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS WARNING ON ARMS CONTROL 
COMPLIANCE 
 
REF: A. STATE 274209 
     B. 04 STATE 79196 
     C. 04 YEREVAN 891 
 
Classified By: Ambassador John Evans for reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (S/NF) In deploying troops to the coalition in Iraq and 
agreeing to a defense assessment, Armenia has taken important 
steps in building a broader, deeper defense relationship; 
lack of full compliance with conventional arms control 
regimes would negate that progress.  That was the message the 
Ambassador delivered to Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian on 
January 11 in conjunction with a verbatim delivery of ref A 
talking points.  Sargsian was defensive: declared that the 
cited incidents referred to movements of equipment not 
limited by treaty, complained about Azerbaijan's continued 
non-compliance with limits on TLE, and said that the 
dislocation of some TLE is beyond GOAM control (in N-K).  The 
Ambassador pressed back:it is vital for Armenia to avoid even 
the perception of a lack of full compliance.  Sargsian 
appreciated the intent of our message and said Armenia would 
comply fully with its obligations.  End Summary. 
 
Delivering the Message 
---------------------- 
 
2. (S/NF)  On January 11 the Ambassador met with Defense 
Minister Serzh Sargsian to deliver reftel talking points 
regarding Armenia's compliance with conventional arms 
inspection regimes.  This message was delivered formally by 
CDA on December 30 to Deputy Foreign Minister Markarian, but 
Markarian gave no substantive reply.  With Sargsian was 
General Mikhael Melkonian, Chief of the MOD's Directorate for 
foreign relations and Colonel Haik Kotanjian, advisor to the 
Minister.  DCM and DATT accompanied the Ambassador. 
 
3. (S/NF)  The Ambassador prefaced his delivery of reftel 
points by outlining what is at stake: Armenia had taken 
significant steps to both broaden and deepen the defense 
relationship with the U.S.  The decision and subsequent 
parliamentary approval of a deployment of troops to join the 
coalition in Iraq, together with Sargsian's agreement to host 
a Defense Assessment were significant.  The change in how 
Armenia is perceived as a contributing partner is at serious 
risk if Armenia is judged to be out of full compliance with 
all relevant arms inspection regimes. 
 
4. (S/NF) Sargsian's first reaction was defensive.  He 
attributed movement of military equipment to routine training 
requirements, planned long in advance.  He said that since 
the training area for the regiment in Goris is located near 
Sisian, combat equipment must be frequently moved.  He added 
that the MOD may on occasion reassign equipment to different 
units without fully coordinating within the various 
departments of the MOD so that proper notification can be 
made in Vienna.  He noted that all of the 91 MTLBs that the 
MOD possesses are equipped as military ambulances and invited 
DCM and DATT to visit one of the units that have these 
vehicles.  He also offered to provide a complete list of 
units with MTLB ambulances.  At times Sargsyan seemed not to 
understand that the arms control agreements demand 
transparency in order to build confidence. 
 
5. (S/NF)  Sargsyan expressed concern that the U.S. was 
worried about relatively minor Armenian compliance issues, 
while the real threat to stability in the region was 
Azerbaijan's intention to take Nagorno-Karabakh by force.  He 
claimed that Azerbaijan received three times as much military 
equipment from the USSR than did Armenia and has subsequently 
purchased additional equipment from Ukraine, putting 
Azerbaijan over its CFE limits.  He emphasized that the 
military balance between the two countries must be 
maintained. 
 
6. (S/NF) Sargsyan concluded by saying that Armenia would do 
everything necessary to fully comply with the CFE Treaty and 
Vienna Document and he did not want arms control compliance 
concerns to interfere with the developing bilateral military 
relationship. 
EVANS