VZCZCXRO7707
RR RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #1726/01 3521305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181305Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4589
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001726 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, S/CT - RHONDA SHORE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: A) STATE 175925 B) 05 YEREVAN 2037 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: There have been no major terrorism-related 
developments in Armenia in 2006. Per reftel instruction, the 
following is an update of Armenia's 2005 Country Report on 
Terrorism. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. With substantial U.S. assistance, Armenia continues to 
strengthen its capacity to counter the country's few 
perceived terrorist threats. While no known terrorist groups 
operate domestically, Armenia's geographic location, porous 
borders, and loose visa regime present growing opportunities 
for traffickers of illicit materials, persons, and finances. 
 
¶3. The government's deepening political and economic ties 
with neighboring Iran have, however, limited Armenian 
criticism of Iranian extremism and heralded closer diplomatic 
and trade relations between the two countries. President 
Kocharian spoke out in November against the possibility of 
international sanctions against Iran. Armenia also has normal 
diplomatic and economic relations with Syria. Both Iran and 
Syria have large ethnic Armenian populations. 
 
¶4. The Financial Monitoring Center (FMC), a U.S.-supported 
financial intelligence unit within the Central Bank 
designed to consolidate reporting requirements for large or 
otherwise suspicious money transfers, was established in 
early 2005. The FMC is still developing as a regulatory body. 
Though it received no reports of fund transfers in 
support of terrorism in 2005, it began to make investigative 
strides in 2006. During the first 10 months of 2006, the FMC 
received 23 suspicious transaction reports. After analyzing 
these reports, the FMC developed five suspicious transaction 
cases, three of which have been referred to the Prosecutor 
General's office for further investigation. To date, the FMC 
has received no reports of transactions involving watch-list 
designees. The heavy flow of remittances, however, may hinder 
efforts to detect fund transfers in support of terrorism. The 
FMC applied for 
Egmont Group membership in 2006 and hopes for membership 
status in 2007. 
 
¶5. Armenia continued efforts to increase the security of its 
vital documents such as birth certificates, introduced 
additional security features into the production of 
passports, and continued to install passport readers at 
border posts. On November 1, the government implemented 
mandatory fingerprinting for travelers departing Zvartnots 
Airport - Armenia's only international airport. The National 
Security Service (NSS) and police continued to share 
information with the U.S. Embassy when they discovered 
fraudulent U.S. visas or other documents. 
 
¶6. In August 2005, the government passed legislation 
establishing the National Control List, a schedule of 
controlled commodities that either cannot be exported or that 
require an export license because of the potential for 
misuse. The list is adapted from the European Union's 
dual-use list. The list is currently being updated, and is 
scheduled for completion in early 2007. It complements 
legislation the government adopted in late 2004 that required 
licensing exports and imports of radioactive sources. 
 
¶7. Armenia supported U.S. efforts in Iraq with troops on the 
ground and provided overflight authorization in support of 
Operation Enduring Freedom. 
 
------------------------------- 
TRAINING AND MONITORING EFFORTS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8. In May, the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring 
Team for al-Qaida and the Taliban visited Armenia to monitor 
the implementation of sanctions according to a number of UN 
resolutions. The team met with the Central Bank, the Ministry 
of Defense, the National Security Service and the Police, as 
well as with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to 
the MFA, the team said it was satisfied with Armenia's level 
of preparedness. 
 
¶9. In September, Armenia participated in a CIS-wide exercise 
called "Atom-Antiterror 2006." The Armenian special forces, 
together with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), ran 
counterterrorism and hostage release drills at the Armenian 
Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). In October, according to press 
reports, the FSB and the Armenian NSS signed two 
counterterrorism cooperation protocols. 
 
¶10. In early December, about two dozen mid- to senior-level 
 
YEREVAN 00001726  002 OF 002 
 
 
Armenian law enforcement, customs, defense and health 
officials participated in a U.S. Department of 
Defense-sponsored training course on prevention of terrorism 
and WMD proliferation. 
 
--------------------- 
POST POINT OF CONTACT 
--------------------- 
 
¶11. Post POC on general terrorism issues is Pol/Mil Officer 
Masha Herbst; e-mail: herbstm@state.gov; IVG 996-4302; tel. 
( 374 10) 49-43-02. 
GODFREY