US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN1939

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001939 
 
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 PRESS CONFERENCE ON 
DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
 
 
SUMMARY 
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1. SUMMARY: On October 27, Ambassador Evans and USAID 
Mission Director Robin Phillips held a press conference on 
U.S. democracy assistance programs.  The press conference 
focused on planned U.S. assistance to help Armenia hold free 
and fair parliamentary elections in 2007 and presidential 
elections in 2008.  The purpose of the conference was to 
begin to focus attention on the importance of the 2007/2008 
elections, as well as to explain our assistance programs to 
the media amid recent speculation in the press that U.S. 
assistance is either funding a revolution or supporting the 
opposition.  The media extensively covered the event, with 
many outlets focusing on the Ambassador's comments that "the 
U.S. does not favor revolutions in the streets."  Much of 
the opposition media criticized these statements, while pro- 
government outlets tended to quote these statements without 
editorial comments of their own.  One newspaper continued 
its vendetta against the Ambassador.  END SUMMARY. 
 
OPPOSITION MEDIA CRITICIZE STATEMENTS AGAINST REVOLUTION 
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2. During the press conference, Ambassador Evans stated, 
"The United States does not favor revolutions in the 
streets.  Revolution is the product of failure.  We favor 
evolution.  We believe that the way to choose leaders is at 
the ballot box, not in the streets."  Pro-opposition press 
responded largely negatively to these statements. 
 
3. IRAVUNK, an oppositionist newspaper, quoted Ambassador 
Evans's statement against revolutions and commented, "This 
textbook truth was presented by the ambassador of a country 
that is carrying out color revolutions throughout the world. 
With this, the Ambassador contradicted the position 
expressed so far by the leaders of his country." 
 
4. "168 HOURS," also an oppositionist newspaper, stated, 
"The most interesting statement by John Evans was that the 
U.S. does not support street revolutions.  The comments are 
needless..."  The article continues, "Of course, the press 
conference was interpreted differently by different media 
outlets.  The pro-government media mentioned with open 
satisfaction that the U.S. does not support the plans of the 
opposition; the opposition media were very disappointed and 
dissatisfied; others simply presented the ideas expressed 
during the press conference without any comments." 
 
PRO-GOVERNMENT MEDIA REPORTS ON THE AMBASSADOR'S STATEMENTS 
AGAINST REVOLUTION 
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5. HAYOTS ASHKHAR, a pro-government newspaper, published an 
article entitled, "The U.S. Does Not Support Street 
Revolutions."  The article states, "When asked whether he 
thinks it is possible that the referendum will lead to a 
revolution, the Ambassador gave a comprehensive answer, 'The 
United States does not support street revolutions.'" 
 
6. NOVOYE VREMYA, a Russian-language pro-government 
newspaper, reported, "The head of the U.S. diplomatic 
mission stated that the U.S. supports evolutionary 
development in Armenia.  This wish of the U.S. diplomat was 
accepted by the local oppositionists without enthusiasm. 
Some of them directly hinted that Evans's words are not an 
order, that the referendum is doomed to fail, and that 
people will take to the streets on the evening of November 
27.  'What can such statements from a State Department 
representative mean on the eve of our constitutional 
referendum?' asked the opposition mass media, who at the 
same time accused the American diplomat of being pro- 
government." 
 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS RESPOND TO THE 
CONFERENCE 
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7. The media reported on the response of government 
officials and politicians to the press conference.  A1+, an 
independent news agency, reported, "Yesterday, U.S. 
Ambassador to Armenia John Evans held a press conference in 
which he presented U.S. government programs supporting the 
2007-2008 elections.  Today this step of the Ambassador was 
commented on by various members of parliament with differing 
points of view--as an attempt to meddle in the internal 
affairs of Armenia, and as a way to speed up the 
democratization process."  The article states that deputies 
from the opposition Justice bloc consider the U.S. program 
"both a contribution to the development of democracy and 
interference in the internal affairs of the country." 
8. NOVOYE VREMYA also reported on the response of 
politicians and officials to the press conference.  An 
article in the newspaper states, "The reaction of local 
politicians to the State Department initiative varied.  For 
example, the leader of the United Labor Party, Gurgen 
Arsenian, reacted to the proposed package without additional 
emotion and noted, 'It's our fault that this kind of package 
came into existence.  Our elections were not only far from 
international standards, but also gave grounds for mistrust 
among our society and all the branches of power.'"  The 
article continues, "The Deputy Parliament Speaker, Vahan 
Hovhannisian, does not share the optimism of some of his 
colleagues.  Hovhannisian considers it normal that a young 
democratic country is given advice by an experienced 
country, but wonders if the U.S. 'is once again following 
double standards.'  Hovhannisian is concerned that the U.S. 
has kept silent about the 'shameful things that happen in 
Azerbaijan in regard to the lack of freedom of speech and 
human rights issues.'  Hovhannisian complained, 'When we 
close the streets to demonstrators, the West immediately 
submits a package of suggestions and recommendations to us. 
So, I am forced to believe that the actions of the State 
Department are determined by oil interests.'" 
 
"HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" CONTINUES CAMPAIGN AGAINST AMBASSADOR 
EVANS 
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9. HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK, a radical oppositionist daily, 
continued to publish personal attacks against Ambassador 
Evans.  An article entitled "Just Like Himself," states, 
"When asked how the fact that one of the opposition parties 
was not provided an area for its party congress fits into 
the context of democracy, Evans answered that single cases 
should not be extrapolated upon.  We should hope that Evans 
is also a single case and not an example of all Americans." 
 
10. A second article entitled "Is There Life On Mars?  The 
U.S. Ambassador Likes Pilaf," states, "During the question 
and answer session, the Ambassador tried to distract 
journalists, talking of journalist training programs 
proposed in the project, and asked journalists to keep their 
questions short if he promised to keep his answers short in 
turn."  The article continues, "This continued to the point 
when Evans's patience was exhausted and he announced that he 
needed to go to lunch.  This was the end of the press 
conference even though journalists still had questions to 
ask."  (Note:  Journalists in Yerevan tend to ask lengthy 
questions that amount to political diatribes.  Before ending 
the press conference, the Ambassador invited journalists who 
had additional questions to submit them to the Public 
Affairs Section.  End Note.)  (Comment:  The Embassy has 
made several attempts to improve relations with this 
newspaper.  It appears, however, that the editor-in-chief 
has chosen to pursue a personal campaign against the 
Ambassador.  End Comment.) 
 
EVANS