VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYE #0913/01 3190803
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140803Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8279
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000913 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MARR KDEM KJUS ASEC AM
SUBJECT: SUCCESSFUL DOD BTRP NEGOTIATIONS IN ARMENIA 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense 
(DoD) visited Armenia October 27-29, 2008 to conduct final 
negotiations on the text for the Biological Threat Reduction 
Implementation Agreement.  DoD negotiators met with representatives 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of 
Emergency Situations (MES), including its Minister, Mher 
Shahgeldian.  The meetings successfully resulted in a final 
agreed-upon text between DoD and Armenian representatives. The DoD 
team suggested that a signing ceremony take place in Washington 
immediately prior to the semi-annual meeting of the U.S.-Armenian 
Joint Task Force on Nov. 20, 2008, pending successful completion of 
internal coordination by the Government of Armenia (GOAM).  The 
final English text and unofficial Armenian text were provided to MFA 
via diplomatic note on Oct. 30, 2008.  The note also requested 
written notification that MES is authorized to sign the agreement. 
Upon signing, DoD, the US Embassy and MES will release press 
statements on the initiation of the Biological Threat Reduction 
Program (BTRP) in Armenia. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Negotiations:  The negotiations took place at the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) during October 27-29, 2008. On the Armenian 
side, the MFA was represented by Artem Aznaurian, Counselor, Arms 
Control and International Security, and the Ministry of Emergency 
Situations (MES), the executive agent designated by the Armenian 
government to coordinate the program, was represented by Major 
General Aram Tananian and Lieutenant Colonel Valeri Baghiyan. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The MES representatives emphasized the importance of BTRP 
to Armenia and expressed their eagerness to work with the Ministries 
of Health and Agriculture to implement the agreement.  Discussions 
focused primarily on the options for entry into force, equal 
cooperation, and rights of each side to evaluate the progress of 
 
implementation.  Each side expressed a willingness to work out their 
differences.  DoD representatives pointed out that, as the FY2009 
DoD Appropriations Act had passed, available funding for Armenia's 
BTRP had increased from $5M to $9M.  On the third day of 
negotiations, all differences were resolved, and a final text for 
the implementing agreement was agreed upon by both sides.  A final 
Armenian text was provided to the DoD team to be conformed to the 
English text in Washington. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Signing the BTRIA:  Different possibilities for signing the 
agreement were discussed. (NOTE:  The official name of the BTRIA is 
the "Agreement Between the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the 
Department of Defense of the United States of America Concerning 
Cooperation in the Area of Prevention of Proliferation of 
Technology, Pathogens and Expertise that Could Be Used in the 
Development of Biological Weapons."  END NOTE.) 
It was proposed that Arman Kirakossian, Armenia's Deputy Foreign 
Minister, sign the BTRIA in Washington immediately prior to the 
semi-annual US-Armenia Task Force meeting scheduled to be held on 
November 20, 2008, pending final review and approval by the GOAM. 
The MFA representative provided a copy of the Armenian law that 
explained the intergovernmental process for conclusion of 
international agreements.  A copy of the approved DoD press 
statement was provided to the GOAM, and the option for a joint press 
release with the U.S. Embassy upon signing of the agreement was 
discussed. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Discussions at MES: The MES, represented by Major-General 
Aram Tananian, Deputy Head of the Armenian Rescue Service, hosted 
the DoD delegation for meetings on October 28 and 29.  Tananian 
expressed that MES had previously focused on nuclear, chemical and 
radiological threats, and that its capacity to counter biological 
threats was lacking and needed significant development.  DoD 
emphasized that early detection and reporting via increased 
laboratory diagnostic capability is vital to minimize both natural 
and deliberate disease outbreaks.  For phase I of BTRP in Armenia, 
DoD proposed that one facility each in the Ministries of Health and 
Agriculture be designated as national labs, and their diagnostic and 
research capacities be upgraded.  DoD will send a letter to MES 
officially requesting the designation of these two labs.  As 
executive agent, MES will take the lead in internal coordination and 
work with DoD to identify Armenia's dangerous pathogen collections. 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) The DoD team was invited to meet with the Minister of 
Emergency Situations, Mr. Mher Shahgeldian.  The Minister emphasized 
the importance of working with DoD on developing a strategic 
relationship.  DoD representatives briefed the Minister stated that 
he looked forward to working with other ministries to improve his 
country's biosafety, biosecurity, and disease surveillance 
capacities.  He stated that MES is a new ministry, established in 
May 2008, and has several new initiatives to improve Armenia's 
crisis management capacity, including BTRP.  The DoD delegation 
invited the Minister to Washington to take part in the signing 
ceremony for the implementing agreement or at a later date.  He 
agreed in principle to a trip, schedule permitting. Lastly, it was 
discussed that DoD would work with the U.S. Embassy and MES to 
develop a joint press release pertaining to the signing of the 
implementing agreement. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Meetings with U.S. Embassy: On October 28, DoD 
representatives briefed the Ambassador and her staff on BTRP and the 
outcome of the negotiations.  To generate some positive media 
coverage on BTRP, the Ambassador recommended the Embassy issue a 
joint press release with the GOAM to announce the imminent launch of 
the BTRP, and a subsequent joint press release when the BTRIA is 
signed.  With input from the Embassy, public affairs office 
finalized and released press guidance for use by the Embassy on 
Armenia's BTRP.  It was also agreed that DoD would work with the 
U.S. Embassy and the Government of Armenia to issue a press release 
once the agreement was signed.  DoD representatives raised the 
possibility of opening a Defense Threat Reduction Office at the 
Embassy in Yerevan as the demands of the program increase. 
 
¶8.  (U) DoD CTR Policy points of contact for this cable are Fay 
Peng, Fay.Peng@osd.mil, 703-696-7529 and Todd Baldwin, 
todd.baldwin.ctr@osd.mil, 703-696-7834.  Program implementation 
points of contact are Armenia Country Manager CDR Matthew Rising, 
matthew.rising@dtra.mil, 703-767-0320 and Armenia Project Officer 
(contract support) Marcella Bertin, bertinm@saic-trsc.com, 
703-822-8902.  The Embassy's point of contact is political officer 
Dan Hastings, 374-10-494-302, hastingsdo@state.gov . 
 
YOVANOVITCH