US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1407

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001407 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/CACEN 
DEFENSE FOR OSD (DASD MACDOUGALL) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PGOV, PREL, MARR, AM 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA:  GOOD PROGRESS ON DEFENSE ASSESSMENT 
 
 
Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey for 1.4 (b, d). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) Although it took nearly two years to get Armenia to 
agree to a defense assessment, now that it has begun, good 
progress is being made.  The second visit of U.S. experts 
took place July 26-28.  After consultations with Armenia's 
general staff, the current draft accurately describes 
Armenia's military structure, capabilities and needs, and 
reflects a commitment by the Armenian military's senior 
leadership to openness, transparency, and an expanded role in 
international peacekeeping missions. 
 
2. (C) Although the completion of this first phase brings 
Armenia an important step closer to an accurate and 
acceptable defense assessment, much remains to be done. 
Following the September 16-17 Bilateral Defense Consultation 
in Yerevan, the U.S. defense assessment team will draft an 
implementation plan that will require compromises on both 
sides.  Despite Chief of General Staff General Mikhael 
Harutiunyan's assurances to the contrary, the GOAM will 
likely remain reluctant to agree on conclusions or to 
implement recommendations that would significantly alter 
Armenia's military system while the conflict over 
Nagorno-Karabakh remains unresolved.  End Summary. 
 
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BRIEFINGS YIELD CONSENSUS ON FIRST PHASE OF ASSESSMENT 
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3. (C) In a series of meetings to validate preliminary data 
collected during a U.S. defense assessment team visit to 
Armenia May 3-6, team members led by Science Applications 
International Corporation (SAIC) Senior Analyst Donald 
Snedeker (under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense) reviewed major sections of the Armenia draft with 
Chief of the General Staff General Mikhael Harutiunyan. 
Harutiunyan and Deputy Minister of Defense Artur Aghabekyan 
noted they were pleased with progress on the draft after 
correcting some technical errors.  Harutiunyan and Aghabekyan 
said they were committed to completing the assessment and are 
eager to receive the USG's conclusions and recommendations. 
 
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DEFENSE OFFICIALS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT IN DISCUSSIONS 
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4. (C) SAIC Senior Analyst Donald Snedeker said the U.S. team 
was encouraged by the Armenian military leadership's 
commitment to cooperation, openness and transparency, noting 
that Chairman of Defense Mikhael Harutiunyan openly discussed 
sensitive details about the Armenian military's structure, 
capabilities and needs.  During a July 26 meeting, Armenian 
General Staff Head of Operations Brigadier General Chalyan 
unexpectedly volunteered the specific unit numbers of two 
previously undisclosed military intelligence units.  When his 
assistant advised him against it, Chalyan responded, "we need 
to be transparent."  In a separate meeting with the U.S. team 
on July 28, Harutiunyan said, "I didn't understand it 
initially, but now I believe that transparency in the defense 
assessment is in Armenia's interest." 
 
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DEFENSE OFFICIALS CALL FOR ADDITIONAL PEACEKEEPING ROLES 
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5. (C) Harutiunyan said he hopes the defense assessment 
identifies avenues for expanding Armenia's peacekeeping 
force, with the goal of creating a full NATO-compatible 
brigade.  At every opportunity, Harutiunyan requested USG 
assistance in lobbying active peacekeeping nations to accept 
more Armenian peacekeeping contingents.  Note:  Since 2004, 
Armenia has maintained a platoon of peacekeepers in Kosovo 
where they operate within a Greek battalion, and since 
January 2005, Armenia has also maintained a non-combatant 
contingent in Iraq.  End Note. 
 
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COMMENT: PROGRESS ENCOURAGING, BUT PROCESS JUST BEGINNING 
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6. (C) The GOAM will likely remain reluctant to implement 
recommendations that would significantly alter Armenia's 
military system while the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh 
remains unresolved.  Harutiunyan told us he eagerly awaits 
the U.S. assessment team's conclusions and recommendations, 
but without having seen a draft it is difficult to speculate 
on the political or military costs of implementation.  While 
the Armenian military leadership's increased openness and 
transparency (however limited) are encouraging, the GOAM's 
true commitment to the defense assessment may only become 
apparent after the USG hands over the final defense 
assessment in October. 
GODFREY