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THE LEAKS SO FAR: ARMENIA - US RELATIONS, TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS, NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT
YerevanReport.com
http://www.yerevanreport.com/44903/wikileaks-armenia-us-relations/
Nov 29 2010
Politics
The imminent release by Wikileaks of many years of US diplomatic
communication promises to contain a wealth of information about Armenia
and its region, including information on Armenia - US Relations,
Turkish-Armenian relations, Karabakh conflict, and more.
The Guardian Newspaper in the UK has already begun publishing some of
the leaked cables. Below is a summary of some of the Guardian-published
cables released so far:
Turkey Pushes Back on Protocols (February 2010)
In a cable from Ankara, Ambassador James F. Jeffrey documents his
discussions with Turkish MFA Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu. The
meeting was part of "Shared Vision" US-Turkey meetings and touched a
host of topics including US displeasure of Turkish support for Iran,
Turkish-Armenian relations, and the war in Iraq. According to the
leaked cable, Turkey continued to push back on the ratification of
protocols claiming that there is a "strong reaction" among MPs from
the Justice and Development party (AKP). Sinirlioglu also reportedly
mentioned:
â- Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan is angry at Turkey an has to be appeased
before moving forward on the protocols.
â- An Armenian Genocide resolution in the US Congress would
"complicate" the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.
â- Azerbaijan is allegedly holding a natural gas deal with Turkey as
hostage, in order to prevent the ratification of the protocols.
Below is the direct Armenia-related quote from the cable:
3. (C) Sinirlioglu appealed for "simultaneity" between Armenian
Protocols ratification and the Minsk Process. He emphasized "a strong
reaction" against the protocols among ruling party MPs had to be
overcome before the government would hazard a ratification effort. He
warned Congressional passage of an Armenian genocide resolution would
"complicate" his government's domestic political calculations regarding
ratification. He said if something acceptable to Azerbaijani President
Aliyev can found, then "we can move" the protocols forward.
Sinirlioglu suggested Azerbaijan and Armenia's announcement of an
agreed framework for Minsk Group progress would provide the GoT with
the necessary political cover. Burns inquired about the prospect for
progress on a natural gas deal between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Sinirlioglu implied Aliyev is holding an agreement hostage to Turkey's
handling of the protocols: "He doesn't trust us."
Aliyev: "Sword of Damocles" of April 24 hanging over the
Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations (February 2010)
Charge d'Affaires in Azerbaijan, Donald Lu, held a meeting with Ilham
Aliyev on February 25, 2010. During the course of this meeting Aliyev
registered displeasure at Armenian-Turkish reconciliation.
Additionally, Aliyev urged the US to attempt to force Armenia's hand
in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations. Below is a direct quote:
- the three co-chair countries should consolidate their efforts at
a senior-level,
- (C) the three co-chair countries should send a strong message that
the independence of NK is not under review, and
- (C) if these new proposals are not accepted, there should be
consequences in terms of international isolation, especially in the
form of Russia,s curtailing some of its economic support for Armenia.
Alleged Armenian Arms Transfers to Iran (December 2008)
A cable sent to Embassy Armenia in December 2008, directs the
ambassador to send a letter expressing US fury at alleged arms
transfers to Iran. The cable alleges that "Armenia facilitated
Iran's purchase of rockets and machine guns" in 2003. Furthermore,
according to the cable as published by the Guardian, in 2007 some of
those weapons were found in Iraq.
In order to avoid sanctions, the US advises Armenia's government to
present written compelling evidence that Armenia will not become
a source of weapons for Iran in the future, including agreeing to
surprise visits by US to assess compliance as well as consulting with
United States on the future transfer of weapons to any country that
is not a member of EU, NATO, or any country that is not one of the
participants in the Wassenaar Arrangement. Currently there are 40
participating states in the Wassenaar Arrangement.
Full Leak Will Contain Much More
The Guardian Newspaper also published statistical data about all the
documents, including the source and subject. Here is an accounting
of documents issued by US embassies in Armenia and it's neighboring
countries:
â- Embassy Yerevan - 1,735 cables â- Embassy Ankara - 7,918 cables
â- Embassy Baku - 1,569 cables â- Embassy Tbilisi - 1,167 cables
From: A. Papazian
YerevanReport.com
http://www.yerevanreport.com/44903/wikileaks-armenia-us-relations/
Nov 29 2010
Politics
The imminent release by Wikileaks of many years of US diplomatic
communication promises to contain a wealth of information about Armenia
and its region, including information on Armenia - US Relations,
Turkish-Armenian relations, Karabakh conflict, and more.
The Guardian Newspaper in the UK has already begun publishing some of
the leaked cables. Below is a summary of some of the Guardian-published
cables released so far:
Turkey Pushes Back on Protocols (February 2010)
In a cable from Ankara, Ambassador James F. Jeffrey documents his
discussions with Turkish MFA Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu. The
meeting was part of "Shared Vision" US-Turkey meetings and touched a
host of topics including US displeasure of Turkish support for Iran,
Turkish-Armenian relations, and the war in Iraq. According to the
leaked cable, Turkey continued to push back on the ratification of
protocols claiming that there is a "strong reaction" among MPs from
the Justice and Development party (AKP). Sinirlioglu also reportedly
mentioned:
â- Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan is angry at Turkey an has to be appeased
before moving forward on the protocols.
â- An Armenian Genocide resolution in the US Congress would
"complicate" the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.
â- Azerbaijan is allegedly holding a natural gas deal with Turkey as
hostage, in order to prevent the ratification of the protocols.
Below is the direct Armenia-related quote from the cable:
3. (C) Sinirlioglu appealed for "simultaneity" between Armenian
Protocols ratification and the Minsk Process. He emphasized "a strong
reaction" against the protocols among ruling party MPs had to be
overcome before the government would hazard a ratification effort. He
warned Congressional passage of an Armenian genocide resolution would
"complicate" his government's domestic political calculations regarding
ratification. He said if something acceptable to Azerbaijani President
Aliyev can found, then "we can move" the protocols forward.
Sinirlioglu suggested Azerbaijan and Armenia's announcement of an
agreed framework for Minsk Group progress would provide the GoT with
the necessary political cover. Burns inquired about the prospect for
progress on a natural gas deal between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Sinirlioglu implied Aliyev is holding an agreement hostage to Turkey's
handling of the protocols: "He doesn't trust us."
Aliyev: "Sword of Damocles" of April 24 hanging over the
Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations (February 2010)
Charge d'Affaires in Azerbaijan, Donald Lu, held a meeting with Ilham
Aliyev on February 25, 2010. During the course of this meeting Aliyev
registered displeasure at Armenian-Turkish reconciliation.
Additionally, Aliyev urged the US to attempt to force Armenia's hand
in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations. Below is a direct quote:
- the three co-chair countries should consolidate their efforts at
a senior-level,
- (C) the three co-chair countries should send a strong message that
the independence of NK is not under review, and
- (C) if these new proposals are not accepted, there should be
consequences in terms of international isolation, especially in the
form of Russia,s curtailing some of its economic support for Armenia.
Alleged Armenian Arms Transfers to Iran (December 2008)
A cable sent to Embassy Armenia in December 2008, directs the
ambassador to send a letter expressing US fury at alleged arms
transfers to Iran. The cable alleges that "Armenia facilitated
Iran's purchase of rockets and machine guns" in 2003. Furthermore,
according to the cable as published by the Guardian, in 2007 some of
those weapons were found in Iraq.
In order to avoid sanctions, the US advises Armenia's government to
present written compelling evidence that Armenia will not become
a source of weapons for Iran in the future, including agreeing to
surprise visits by US to assess compliance as well as consulting with
United States on the future transfer of weapons to any country that
is not a member of EU, NATO, or any country that is not one of the
participants in the Wassenaar Arrangement. Currently there are 40
participating states in the Wassenaar Arrangement.
Full Leak Will Contain Much More
The Guardian Newspaper also published statistical data about all the
documents, including the source and subject. Here is an accounting
of documents issued by US embassies in Armenia and it's neighboring
countries:
â- Embassy Yerevan - 1,735 cables â- Embassy Ankara - 7,918 cables
â- Embassy Baku - 1,569 cables â- Embassy Tbilisi - 1,167 cables
From: A. Papazian