US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1628

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN AND FOR EUR/SNEC 
DEPT ALSO FOR CA/VO/F/P 
FRANKFURT FOR RSC/RCO 
 
E.O. 12958:    N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, PREL, AM 
SUBJECT: FORMER NKR REP NOW APPLYING FOR A2 VISA AS 
ARMENIAN DIPLOMAT 
 
REF: YEREVAN 1529 
 
This is an action request, please see paragraph 5. 
 
1. Post has received two diplomatic notes from the 
Government of Armenia in as many days requesting 
that two-year validity A2 visas be issued to former 
"Nagorno Karabakh Republic"(NKR) Representative 
Vardan Barseghyan and his wife.  In the second note 
Barseghyan is described as an Armenian MFA employee 
assigned to the Armenian Embassy in Washington as 
an assistant to the Ambassador.  We seek guidance 
on the appropriate type of visa to issue, given 
Barseghyan's supposed change of status.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. The first diplomatic note, dated 5 September 
2005 describes Mr. Barseghyan as the NKR 
representative.  The accompanying application form 
lists Vardan Barseghyan's employer as "NKR Foreign 
Ministry" and his occupation as "NKR Representative 
to the USA." 
 
3. The second diplomatic note dated 7 September 
2005, again requests that we issue two-year 
validity A2 visas to Vardan Barseghyan and his 
wife.  However, according to this note, Barseghyan 
will be an assistant to the Armenian Ambassador to 
Washington.  The accompanying visa application form 
also lists his employer as "Armenian Embassy" and 
his occupation as "Assistant to the Ambassador." 
(Note:  All "diplomatic staff" assigned to the NKR 
"Foreign Ministry" technically remain Armenian MFA 
employees and are paid by the Armenian MFA, 
including NKR "Foreign Minister" and former GOAM 
Ambassador Arman Melikian.  Post expects that 
Barseghyan's actual function would remain that of 
"NKR Representative to the USA."  End Note.) 
 
4. In a telephone conversation the Director of the 
Consular Division of the Armenian MFA assured CONS 
that Barseghyan is now working for the Armenian 
MFA.  He reported that the foreign ministers of 
Armenia and NKR met and transferred Barseghyan's 
employment from one ministry to the other. 
 
5. ACTION REQUEST: Post requests guidance as to 
whether this re-characterization of Mr. 
Barseghyan's status requires us to issue an A2 
visa, as requested. 
 
EVANS