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PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHYE #0813/01 2801537
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061537Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8124
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0040
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000813 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM BBG RFE RL AM
SUBJECT: FM STILL UPSET ABOUT RFE/RL BUREAU CHIEF 
APPOINTMENT 
 
REF: A. YEREVAN 778 
     ¶B. YEREVAN 779 
     ¶C. YEREVAN 811 
 
YEREVAN 00000813  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: AMB Marie L. Yovanovitch, reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  FM Nalbandian reacted sharply to 
Ambassador's report of her 
conversation with RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin, in which 
he had offered to 
explore "confidence building measures" to re-establish GOAM 
trust in RFE/RL 
objectivity.  Nalbandian insisted "there was nothing that 
could be done" if 
RFE/RL declined to fire its brand-new bureau chief, who is 
associated with the 
opposition.  He said Yenokyan was the second person RFE/RL 
hired from the circle 
of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian, and this was a 
"symbolic last step." 
He strongly implied that RFE/RL would face retaliation from 
the GOAM.  Ambassador 
pushed back firmly, noting such a rash action would be taken 
badly by the USG. 
She suggested that Gedmin might visit Yerevan; Nalbandian 
said if so he had better 
do so "very quickly." END SUMMARY 
 
 
¶2. (C) AMBASSADOR UPDATES ON RFE/RL POSITION:  On October 6, 
Ambassador met 
with Foreign Minister Nalbandian and responded to his 
concerns regarding Radio 
Liberty,s selection of Aghasi Yenokyan as its new Bureau 
Chief in Yerevan (refs 
B and C).   While she made clear that RFE/RL is a separate 
organization, distinct 
from the U.S. Government, she said she had raised the GOAM,s 
concerns with the 
President of RFE/RL, Dr. Jeffrey Gedmin.  Ambassador stated 
that Gedmin said the 
hiring decision had been made, and he hoped that Yenokyan 
would be judged based on 
his performance in his new job.  She related that Gedmin said 
that if Yenokyan 
falls short of RFE/RL standards, the radio would take 
corrective measures. 
Ambassador conveyed Gedmin,s desire to launch a more 
constructive relationship 
between the radio and the GOAM and that he had suggested 
implementing "confidence- 
building measures." 
 
¶3. (C) NALBANDIAN INCENSED: As Ambassador paused for breath, 
Nalbandian flatly 
said that if a decision had been made to keep Yenokyan on, 
"There was nothing 
that could be done."  His face now bright red, the Foreign 
Minister said that 
the issue was not Yenokyan,s performance or his 
professionalism, but the 
public perception that the U.S. government, which funds 
RFE/RL, is using 
RFE/RL to signal USG support for opposition leader Levon Ter 
Petrossian 
(LTP).  Nalbandian noted that Yenokyan was the second person 
RFE/RL had hired 
from the LTP camp, and this was "the symbolic last step." 
 
¶4. (C) RETALIATION UNSPOKEN: He said that President Sargsian 
had told 
Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Bryza what would happen, if 
the Yenokyan decision 
stood.  When asked what would happen, the FM did not answer 
directly.   Instead 
he noted that RFE/RL "is not working in Armenia on a legal 
basis" and vaguely noted 
a problem with the radio frequency.  (NOTE:  Embassy is 
unaware of any legal issues 
or problems with the radio frequency.  END NOTE) 
 
¶5.  (C) A BAD IDEA: Ambassador pushed back, noting that 
RFE/RL operates independently 
and its actions should not be interpreted as the actions of 
the USG.  Moreover, 
Armenia, as a country that says it is interested in fully 
transitioning to a 
democracy, should defend freedom of the press and the need 
for many voices 
in the nation,s media.  She said that the Foreign 
 
YEREVAN 00000813  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Minister,s claim that Yenokyan 
is being judged not on his performance, but as the symbol of 
U.S. support for LTP 
would not be well received in Washington.  We have made clear 
repeatedly, and she was 
repeating it again today:  The U.S. does not take sides in 
Armenia,s internal political 
process.  Nalbandian said he is a staunch defender of freedom 
of the press, but LTP is 
manipulating RFE/RL, so that the perception is that the USG 
is backing him. 
Nalbandian said that he understands that the U.S. and Armenia 
each want a strong 
relationship with the other.  Therefore, the GOAM would have 
to take measures regarding 
the Yenokyan decision so that there would be no obstacle in 
our bilateral relations. 
 
¶6.  (C) COULD AN RFE/RL VISIT HELP?:  Ambassador counseled 
the Foreign Minister 
not to act rashly, noting that if the GOAM did so, it would 
create an enormous 
bilateral problem -- not the reverse as the FM was 
suggesting.  She suggested 
that Dr. Gedmin meet with GOAM officials in Yerevan, so that 
GOAM officials could 
be assured that RFE/RL has no ulterior motives in hiring 
Yenokyan.  Nalbandian 
shook his head and said that if Dr. Gedmin were to come, he 
should come "very 
quickly," because he was sure that the GOAM would take steps 
very quickly 
to settle the Yenokyan issue. 
 
¶7.  (C) COMMENT:  Unfortunately, given the GOAM,s 
longstanding distrust of RFE/RL, 
we are not surprised that Nalbandian reacted badly, but his 
intensity on the point 
was dismaying and a bit surprising.  Along with his oblique 
comments that Gedmin 
should come "very quickly" it suggests to us that President 
Sargsian is quite upset. 
It,s possible that part of his comments were for effect, but 
there is no doubt that 
the Yenokyan appointment hit a nerve and it is likely that 
the GOAM will take 
some form of action.  Throughout the conversation, Nalbandian 
declined 
to be specific about what actions would be taken, and at the 
end of the day, 
we do not believe it will be his decision but the 
President,s.  However, one 
possibility is that the GOAM may deny RFE a radio frequency, 
as 
Nalbandian said that if action is taken "it won,t be us, but 
in the framework 
of the law."  We interpret this to mean that the GOAM won,t 
take an overtly 
political action, but will apply some aspect of the law that 
they allege RFE is 
infringing to either harass RFE or take the radio off the air 
completely. 
 
¶8. (C)  COMMENT (CONTINUED):  We strongly encourage Dr.Gedmin 
to come to Yerevan for 
high level meetings with the Armenians as soon as possible. 
Even if the GOAM does 
not take action against RFE, it is clear that RFE,s 
relationship with the 
government needs work on an urgent basis. 
YOVANOVITCH