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WHO WERE KOCHARYAN'S INNER CIRCLE? - WIKILEAKS
Tert.am
21:56 02.09.11
A US diplomatic cable dated to 2004 and recently leaked by the
whistleblower WikiLeaks website refers to a text sent by Ambassador
John Ordway over the inner circle of the then Armenian President
Kocharyan.
The cable says that "President Kocharian has a small inner circle with
direct access to him and the potential to influence his thinking on
foreign policy matters. Within this inner circle are Foreign Minister
Oskanian, Minister of Defense Sargsian, Head of State TV [Aleksan]
Harutyunian, Presidential Chief of Staff Tumanyan, and First Assistant
to the President Gevorkian".
In this cable Ordway says that while these advisors all have
essentially unfettered access to the President, it is doubtful that any
of them is in a position to influence his decisions: on the contrary,
their positions either coincide with his or are derived from his.
Further, he says that Armen Gevorgian, First Assistant to the
President, is essentially always at Kocharian's side. "While his
access is unparalleled and some in Yerevan refer to him as an
"eminence grise," he does not appear to influence the President so
much as serve as a foil for him," reads the cable.
Ordway goes to say that Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsyan, long-time
confidant and Presidential ally, has close economic ties with many
of President Kocharyan's interests. "Born in 1954 in Stepanakert,
Sargsian shares with Kocharian and his closest confidants the deep
conviction that N-K must be protected at all costs. His ties to
the military are crucial to Kocharian's power base, and his and the
President's beliefs are most likely to coincide," read the cable.
Later on the list is Head of State TV (and former Presidential Chief
of Staff) Aleksan Harutyunyan is an intensely loyal, long-time friend
of Kocharian. "Born in 1965 in Karabakh, his family moved to Yerevan in
the early 1970s. Active in Armenia's independence movement, Harutyunian
briefly worked in the Presidential Administration in 1992 before
being assigned to the Armenian Embassy in Paris," says the cable.
Ordway further mentions Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, who he
says although appears to have "limited influence on the President's
thinking, at least can generally be counted on to accurately relay
both the content and tone of foreign governments' messages".
"A former Tufts professor and former U.S. citizen, Oskanian is a
savvy interlocutor, with good access to the President, but with only
limited influence. Oskanian is fully capable of thinking "outside
the box," but cannot always deliver the President when it comes time
for a decision. Oskanian, however, has been given more running room
on improving relations with Turkey--despite the fact that Kocharian
when speaking to us on the subject is decidedly more pessimistic,"
read the cable.
Tert.am
21:56 02.09.11
A US diplomatic cable dated to 2004 and recently leaked by the
whistleblower WikiLeaks website refers to a text sent by Ambassador
John Ordway over the inner circle of the then Armenian President
Kocharyan.
The cable says that "President Kocharian has a small inner circle with
direct access to him and the potential to influence his thinking on
foreign policy matters. Within this inner circle are Foreign Minister
Oskanian, Minister of Defense Sargsian, Head of State TV [Aleksan]
Harutyunian, Presidential Chief of Staff Tumanyan, and First Assistant
to the President Gevorkian".
In this cable Ordway says that while these advisors all have
essentially unfettered access to the President, it is doubtful that any
of them is in a position to influence his decisions: on the contrary,
their positions either coincide with his or are derived from his.
Further, he says that Armen Gevorgian, First Assistant to the
President, is essentially always at Kocharian's side. "While his
access is unparalleled and some in Yerevan refer to him as an
"eminence grise," he does not appear to influence the President so
much as serve as a foil for him," reads the cable.
Ordway goes to say that Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsyan, long-time
confidant and Presidential ally, has close economic ties with many
of President Kocharyan's interests. "Born in 1954 in Stepanakert,
Sargsian shares with Kocharian and his closest confidants the deep
conviction that N-K must be protected at all costs. His ties to
the military are crucial to Kocharian's power base, and his and the
President's beliefs are most likely to coincide," read the cable.
Later on the list is Head of State TV (and former Presidential Chief
of Staff) Aleksan Harutyunyan is an intensely loyal, long-time friend
of Kocharian. "Born in 1965 in Karabakh, his family moved to Yerevan in
the early 1970s. Active in Armenia's independence movement, Harutyunian
briefly worked in the Presidential Administration in 1992 before
being assigned to the Armenian Embassy in Paris," says the cable.
Ordway further mentions Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, who he
says although appears to have "limited influence on the President's
thinking, at least can generally be counted on to accurately relay
both the content and tone of foreign governments' messages".
"A former Tufts professor and former U.S. citizen, Oskanian is a
savvy interlocutor, with good access to the President, but with only
limited influence. Oskanian is fully capable of thinking "outside
the box," but cannot always deliver the President when it comes time
for a decision. Oskanian, however, has been given more running room
on improving relations with Turkey--despite the fact that Kocharian
when speaking to us on the subject is decidedly more pessimistic,"
read the cable.