US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1835

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 001835 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, IO, DRL/MLA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015 
TAGS: PREL, IS, AM, UNGA 
SUBJECT: HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE:  ARMENIANS LINK 
CO-SPONSORSHIP WITH DISCUSSION OF "OUR GENOCIDE" 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 188927 
 
     B. B) GODFREY-WASILEWSKI OCT 4 E-MAIL 
 
Classified By: DCM A.F.Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
(C) We delivered demarche talking points to MFA Chief of 
International Organizations Division Valery Mkrtumyan October 
12 per instructions in reftel A.  (Note:  Foreign Minister 
Vartan Oskanian is out of the country on extended travel and 
Mkrtumyan is the most well-informed MFA official on these 
issues after the FM.  End note.)  Mkrtumyan's response on the 
Holocaust Remembrance resolution was less positive than the 
earlier signals we had received from the FM's Senior Advisor 
(ref B).  Mkrtumyan said that the GOAM would continue to push 
hard for the inclusion of language that mentioned "our 
genocide" (referring to the 1915 killing of Armenians in 
Ottoman Turkey).  When pressed, Mkrtumyan said the GOAM would 
vote for the resolution in its current state, but expressed 
doubt about Armenian co-sponsorship unless there was "some 
discussion about editing a document that is not yet 
complete."  He suggested that the U.S. and others were 
stifling discussion on the issue by presenting the resolution 
as an "all or nothing" document.  Mkrtumyan said that FM 
Oskanian was managing the issue personally and had instructed 
his deputies and the Armenian PermRep in New York not to make 
any commitments without his direct consent.  He admitted, 
however, that neither the MFA nor Armenia's UN Mission in New 
York had the latest word from Oskanian on the issue. 
 
(C) Comment:  We are not sure that Mkrtumyan's tough stance 
on the Holocaust Resolution issue is fully up-to-date.  After 
our long discussion with him, however, it is clear that the 
issue exposes sensitivities that could make it difficult for 
Oskanian to authorize co-sponsorship without appearing "weak" 
on the issue to some in Yerevan.  The Armenians will not risk 
an unhelpful image on an issue in which they feel they are 
deeply involved.  The commitment to vote for the resolution, 
regardless of co-sponsorship, appears solid.  We will 
continue to push this message with the Armenians and will 
raise it with Oskanian himself upon his return later next 
week. 
EVANS