US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1576

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, GG, AM, RU 
SUBJECT: KOCHARIAN-SAAKASHVILI "UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS" 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador John M. Evans for reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1. (SBU) On August 21, Armenian President Robert Kocharian 
hosted Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili at his summer 
residence on Lake Sevan for what Armenian press characterized 
as an "informal" visit.  Armenian Defense Minister Serzh 
Sarkisian and his Georgian counterpart Irakly Okruashvili 
also attended.  The two presidents met for similar 
"unofficial" discussions at a Georgian ski resort in April 
2005. 
 
2. (C) Presidential spokesman Viktor Soghomonian, who 
traveled with Kocharian to Sevan, declined to discuss 
specifics but told us "press reports are accurate."  Previous 
meetings between the two leaders, Soghomonian said, usually 
focus on economic cooperation -- particularly transit of 
Armenia's imports and exports through Georgia -- and 
Georgia's largely ethnic Armenian Javakheti region. 
 
3. (SBU) In an August 19 press conference, Kocharian told 
reporters that an article published by the Russian 
Nezavisimaya Gazeta titled "Kocharian Betrays Russia" was the 
"fruit of the morbid and limited imagination of the author." 
Kocharian reportedly down-played similar stories in Armenian 
opposition newspapers Aravot and Haykakan Zhamanak and denied 
that his meeting with the Georgian President had 
"anti-Russian implications." 
 
4. (SBU) Kocharian's official website (www.president.am) 
posted the following statement after the visit: 
 
Begin text of statement as published (original in English): 
 
On August 21-22, President of Georgia Michael Saakashvili 
made an unofficial visit to Armenia. 
 
Michael Saakashvili and Robert Kocharian discussed issues 
related to the Armenian-Georgian relations and current 
socio-economic situation in Javakhk at the summer residence 
of the President of Armenia on the Sevan Lakeshore. 
 
At the briefing with journalists President of Armenia said 
that leaders of the neighboring states should meet more than 
once during the year.  Those meetings can be official or 
unofficial.  The very fact that we are conducting not only 
official but also friendly contacts with Georgia is a very 
good sign.  "I think that relations of the Presidents will 
have their impact on the relations of common people. 
relations between the people of the two states can be 
established through contacts, reciprocal visits, tourism, 
business and common interest -- all this should be 
reestablished.  It is not possible to do it in one or two 
days, however it is possible to ruin it in one or two days. 
We must preserve and cherish the relations that have been 
built through the generations and do our best to develop them 
further," stressed President Kocharian.  In the President's 
opinion the fact that many Armenians spend their vacation in 
Georgia and return with good feelings is also a good sign. 
End Text. 
EVANS