US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1886

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001886 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/PPD-CFITZGERALD AND JBASEDOW, EUR/CACEN-JDEHART AND 
KWITMER, EUR 
 
E.O. 12958; N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OPRC, KPAO, AM 
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: MEDIA REACTION TO A/S FRIED'S VISIT 
 
 
1. SUMMARY: Assistant Secretary of State for European and 
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, accompanied by U.S. Special 
Negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh and Eurasian Conflicts 
Steven Mann, visited Armenia on October 18.  The visit, 
which included a short press availability, highlighted A/S 
Fried's strong call for democratic and economic reform and 
received extensive coverage from the broadcast and print 
media.  While many reports simply drew from the U.S. Embassy 
and Armenian Presidential Office press releases, others 
included editorial comments on such issues as Secretary 
Rice's connection to the visit, the Assistant Secretary's 
comments on constitutional amendments, which outlets were 
invited to the press availability, and the Assistant 
Secretary's involvement with Ukraine and Georgia.  END 
 
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SUMMARY. 
 
"CONDOLEEZZA RICE SENDS HER ASSISTANT" 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2. Two newspapers focused their articles on Secretary Rice's 
connection to the visit.  AZG, a center-right daily, 
published an article entitled "Condoleezza Rice Sends Her 
Assistant and Steven Mann to the Caucasus."  The article 
states, "Fried is the highest official to visit Armenia 
since the reelection of President Bush in 2004.  In May of 
this year, Bush himself visited Georgia, apparently causing 
Armenia and Azerbaijan to become nervous."  In one of its 
three articles on Assistant Secretary Fried's visit, the 
radical opposition daily "Haykakan Zhamanak" stated, "It is 
known that this visit was initiated by Secretary Rice, and 
this proves the uniqueness of the mission." 
 
IT IS NOT FOR ANY OUTSIDER TO SUGGEST HOW ARMENIANS SHOULD 
VOTE ON CONSITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
3. Two newspapers referred to Assistant Secretary Fried's 
comments on the constitutional reform process in Armenia. 
ARAVOT, an oppositionist daily, sought to create the 
impression that A/S Fried's position on the constitutional 
amendments differed from that expressed previously by the 
Embassy and published an article entitled, "Why is Evans 
Propagandizing for a 'Yes' Vote?"  The article states that, 
referring to the constitutional reform process in Armenia, 
Assistant Secretary Fried said, "No outside forces can tell 
Armenians how to vote."  In response, "Aravot" comments, 
"Let us remember that U.S. Ambassador John Evans, who 
represents an 'outside force,' is actively propagandizing 
for a vote in favor of the constitutional amendments." 
 
4. According to GOLOS ARMENII, a Russian-language newspaper 
that is partially state-funded, "Speaking about 
constitutional reforms in Armenia, Fried refused to express 
his opinion, mentioning that on the eve of the referendum, 
no country has a right to express its opinion on this issue. 
Meanwhile, we want to remind our readers that the head of 
the diplomatic mission of the U.S. in Armenia, John Evans, 
stated on September 2, 2005, 'We are expecting a free 
referendum.  Its failure will hinder the democratic process 
in Armenia. Falsification of the results of the vote is not 
acceptable, as in that case people could take to the streets 
and make political decisions there.'"  (NOTE: This article 
misquoted Ambassador Evans.  In fact, during a September 1, 
2005 interview with "Armenia Liberty," Ambassador Evans 
stated, "We have already made it very clear in a number of 
ways that this referendum should be carried out as a free 
and fair vote of the Armenian people."  When asked about 
what the U.S. and European reaction would be to the failure 
of the referendum, Ambassador Evans stated, "This is a 
hypothetical question.  I would not want to say what the 
reaction of the United States, the Council of Europe, or the 
European Union might be."  END NOTE.) 
 
5. In fact, these two newspapers took A/S Fried's remarks 
out of context.  After stating, "It is not for any outsider 
to suggest to Armenians how they should vote," Assistant 
Secretary Fried continued, "Without taking any position on 
 
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these particular amendments to the constitution, it is also 
true that many other countries in this part of the world are 
considering constitutional reforms to try to have a more 
adequate and equitable balance of power between the 
legislative branch, executive branch, president, government, 
and judiciary.  In our experience, democracy requires not 
just a strong president democratically elected, but other 
strong institutions of government..."  While not explicitly 
supporting the amendments, these comments subtly emphasized 
the importance of the issues addressed in the amendments. 
 
ONLY FOUR MEDIA OUTLETS INVITED TO PRESS AVAILABILITY 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
6. The fact that the U.S. Embassy invited only four media 
outlets to the press availability was referred to by two 
newspapers.  A HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK article states, "It should 
be noted that according to a decision of the U.S. Embassy, 
only four media outlets were given an opportunity to meet 
with [Assistant Secretary Fried.]  Since the Ambassador 
again has picked media outlets at his own discretion, we 
have to cover the visit of the Assistant Secretary based on 
information provided by Radio Liberty."  A GOLOS ARMENII 
article states, "On the evening of October 18, Fried met 
with a restricted circle of Armenian journalists.  No press 
conference was held."  (NOTE: While only four media outlets 
were invited to the availability, Mediamax News Agency was 
invited to so as to distribute information to all print and 
broadcast outlets.  The idea of a "press pool" is still 
unusual in Armenia.  END NOTE.) 
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FRIED'S INVOLVEMENT WITH UKRAINE AND 
GEORGIA 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
7. GOLOS ARMENII published information about Assistant 
Secretary Fried's involvement with Georgia and Ukraine, thus 
 
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indirectly commenting on his involvement in revolutions in 
the former Soviet Union.  The article states, "It is 
necessary to consider that this diplomat is associated with 
the names of famous American political actors such as 
Ambassador Richard Miles -- an initiator of changes [in 
Georgia.]  Daniel Fried's activities as a 'curator' of 
political developments in the post-Soviet territory were 
first revealed in December 2001, when former Prime Minister 
Viktor Yushchenko visited Washington.  During this visit, 
the future president of Ukraine held his first meeting with 
Daniel Fried, who at the time was serving as the Senior 
Director for European and Eurasian Affairs at the National 
Security Council and Special Assistant to the President." 
 
A/S FRIED ASKED ABOUT THE ARREST OF RASUL GULIYEV 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
8. During the press availability, Public TV asked A/S Fried 
to comment on Azerbaijani elections and the arrest in 
Ukraine of Rasul Guliyev, the chairmen of the opposition 
Democratic Party of Azerbaijan.  In response, A/S Fried 
stated, "It is important that Ukrainians acted consistently 
with their obligations under international law.  It is 
important that not only the elections in Azerbaijan, but the 
election process itself be free and fair....Free and fair 
elections strengthen the nation that conducts them."  While 
we expected that these comments would be picked up by the 
media here, we have seen no/no mention in any local press 
outlet. 
 
EVANS