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Sargsyan's Remarks Echo Kocharian's Paranoia: US Diplomat
09.03.2011 14:39 epress.am
Then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan `sharply criticized' both the US
embassy in Yerevan and Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Matthew Bryza
during a Mar. 22 lunch with European ambassadors, writes then US
Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to Armenia Joseph Pennington, citing two
ambassadors who attending the lunch, in a Mar. 31, 2008 confidential
cable recently released by WikiLeaks.
`Sargsyan reportedly claimed to the Europeans that the Armenian
opposition `is being run out of the US embassy,' but provided no
specifics to back up the allegation. Sargsyan also asserted that DAS
Bryza `told me one thing when he was in Yerevan, then went back to
Washington and said something completely different.' (Note: We assume
that the PM was referring to some of DAS Bryza's comments to the media
following his recent visit here, but the PM failed to get into
specifics.) The PM also reportedly lashed out at several EU
Ambassadors who were at the lunch, particularly the German, because
their governments issued travel advisories following the violence in
Yerevan on March 1-2. The Ambassadors of France and the EU gave
roughly similar accounts of the PM's comments to the Charge over the
past few days,' reads the cable.
Pennington concludes the cable by noting that Sargsyan's comments
`reinforce our view that neither the PM nor his inner circle have much
understanding of the way Western governments operate':
`The PM apparently confuses embassy contacts with the opposition with
embassy support for the opposition. His remarks echo President
Kocharian's frequently displayed paranoia that the embassy - in league
with NDI, Radio Liberty and others - is seeking to foment a `color
revolution' in Armenia. The PM appears also to have misinterpreted DAS
Bryza's diplomatic language and encouragement to reform during his
meeting with Sargsyan as a pledge not to criticize the Armenian
authorities for the post-election crackdown. If PM Sargsyan is to make
good on his stated intention to return Armenia to the path of reform
when he assumes office on Apr. 9, he will need to seek advice from
someone with a more sophisticated understanding of the West and the
ways of international diplomacy.'
From: A. Papazian
09.03.2011 14:39 epress.am
Then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan `sharply criticized' both the US
embassy in Yerevan and Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Matthew Bryza
during a Mar. 22 lunch with European ambassadors, writes then US
Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to Armenia Joseph Pennington, citing two
ambassadors who attending the lunch, in a Mar. 31, 2008 confidential
cable recently released by WikiLeaks.
`Sargsyan reportedly claimed to the Europeans that the Armenian
opposition `is being run out of the US embassy,' but provided no
specifics to back up the allegation. Sargsyan also asserted that DAS
Bryza `told me one thing when he was in Yerevan, then went back to
Washington and said something completely different.' (Note: We assume
that the PM was referring to some of DAS Bryza's comments to the media
following his recent visit here, but the PM failed to get into
specifics.) The PM also reportedly lashed out at several EU
Ambassadors who were at the lunch, particularly the German, because
their governments issued travel advisories following the violence in
Yerevan on March 1-2. The Ambassadors of France and the EU gave
roughly similar accounts of the PM's comments to the Charge over the
past few days,' reads the cable.
Pennington concludes the cable by noting that Sargsyan's comments
`reinforce our view that neither the PM nor his inner circle have much
understanding of the way Western governments operate':
`The PM apparently confuses embassy contacts with the opposition with
embassy support for the opposition. His remarks echo President
Kocharian's frequently displayed paranoia that the embassy - in league
with NDI, Radio Liberty and others - is seeking to foment a `color
revolution' in Armenia. The PM appears also to have misinterpreted DAS
Bryza's diplomatic language and encouragement to reform during his
meeting with Sargsyan as a pledge not to criticize the Armenian
authorities for the post-election crackdown. If PM Sargsyan is to make
good on his stated intention to return Armenia to the path of reform
when he assumes office on Apr. 9, he will need to seek advice from
someone with a more sophisticated understanding of the West and the
ways of international diplomacy.'
From: A. Papazian