VZCZCXRO7451
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #1006/01 3511258
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161258Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8415
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001006 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958; N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SCUL AM
 
SUBJECT: FROM SURVIVAL TO REVIVAL - EMBASSY EVENTS MARK 2OTH 
ANNIVERSARY OF EARTHQUAKE AND U.S. ROLE 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  Two photo exhibits, a Speaker's Program, a message from 
President Bush and a U.S. military flight bringing humanitarian aid 
served to recall the devastating earthquake that struck northern 
Armenia in 1988 and the leading role the USG played as part of the 
international response.  The exhibits and speaker were also able to 
highlight the innovative voucher program funded by USAID to address 
the long-term housing needs of thousands of families in the 
earthquake zone.  The broad range of current USG activities in the 
region, aimed at fostering sustainable social and economic 
development, were also on display.  Thanks to widespread media 
coverage over a three day period, we estimate that well over half of 
the Armenian public was reminded of the scope and nature of U.S. 
assistance, starting with humanitarian relief and reaching to the 
current engagement on multiple levels by a variety of government 
agencies on both sides. End Summary. 
 
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MARKING 20 YEARS SINCE A NATIONAL TRAGEDY 
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¶2.  On December 7, 1988, at 11:41 in the morning, an earthquake 
registering 6.9 on the Richter scale struck northern Armenia. 
Within minutes of the first shock, dozens of cities and towns were 
reduced to rubble, with thousands of people trapped inside the 
twisted and fallen buildings.  More than 25,000 people died and over 
500,000 were left homeless.  The Soviet government soon realized 
that it needed help and, for the first time ever, sought foreign 
assistance.  The United States was among the 74 countries to respond 
to the call for assistance.  All told, the U.S. government and 
private groups supplied over $51 million in humanitarian relief. 
 
 
¶3.  Embassy Yerevan sought an appropriate way to mark the twentieth 
anniversary of the earthquake while reminding Armenians of the 
prominent role the U.S. played in the initial relief effort and 
continues to play in the earthquake zone today.  Ultimately, our 
multi-faceted program to honor the anniversary included a U.S. 
military flight delivering humanitarian cargo; matching photo 
exhibits in Yerevan and Gyumri highlighting the event, its 
aftermath, and U.S. aid then and later; and a Speaker's Program 
featuring one of our leading former implementers of post-earthquake 
housing assistance. 
 
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MILAIR FLIGHT COMMEMORATES RELIEF EFFORT 
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¶4.  The Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation was able to 
coordinate with U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Naval Forces 
Europe (USNAVEUR) to bring a U.S. Navy C-130 cargo aircraft to 
Armenia loaded with equipment for the Armenian Rescue Service and 
medical supplies for four hospitals in the earthquake zone.  The 
flight recalled the many aircraft that came to Armenia from the 
United States and elsewhere bringing relief supplies in the days 
immediately following the earthquake.  The embassy organized a 
tarmac ceremony which received extensive media coverage -- a great 
photo op of large, Red Cross-emblazoned boxes of medical supplies 
rolling off the plane as our press conference took place in the 
foreground.  The Ambassador made brief remarks and then read aloud 
the statement issued by President George W. Bush in honor of the 
earthquake anniversary.  This was followed by brief remarks from the 
Minister of Emergency Situations, Mher Shahgeldian, and by LTG Edik 
Barseghian, Director of the Armenian Rescue Service.   Journalists 
then filmed while the Ambassador, Minister, and Director briefly 
observed the unloading, and the aircraft commander led them on a 
tour of the aircraft. 
 
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PHOTO EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS U.S. ROLE 
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¶5. Two identical photo exhibits were mounted.  Entitled "From 
Survival to Revival" one was in Yerevan, the capital, the other in 
Gyumri, the largest city in the earthquake zone.  Post provided a PD 
program grant to the Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development to 
put the shows together.  The goal of the over 75 photos was to tell 
a visual story of the earthquake's destruction, the international 
humanitarian rescue effort that followed, the innovative USAID 
project that provided long-term housing solutions to many of the 
victims, and the USG development programs underway in the region 
today.  The Ambassador presided over both exhibit openings, in 
Gyumri and in Yerevan, with good media coverage.  The events 
featured local earthquake survivors who had been helped by U.S. 
assistance, and whose moving personal stories deeply humanized the 
story. 
 
 
YEREVAN 00001006  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6.  We were fortunate to find for the photo exhibits archival 
materials showing White House Special Envoy Jeb Bush visiting the 
earthquake zone with his son, George P. Bush, in December 1988. 
There were also photos of Jesse Jackson and (Armenian American) 
Cher.  Two of the most touching pictures were a famous black and 
white shot of a distraught mother with her three children clinging 
to her skirt and another color photo of the same women, today, 
smiling with her four grandchildren gathered around her.  That woman 
spoke at the opening of the Yerevan exhibit, as did another 
earthquake victim, who received medical attention in the U.S. 
 
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SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS INNOVATIVE PROGRAM 
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¶7.  Thanks to IIP's Speakers Program, Post was able to bring to 
Armenia the former USAID Chief of Party responsible for implementing 
an innovative 35 million dollar voucher program that helped clear 
away shantytowns in the middle of the region's cities and provide 
thousands of families living in the dilapidated huts with new homes. 
 He spoke at the opening of the two photo exhibits, and also gave 
well-received power point presentations to several groups of 
students of architecture and urban planning.  Brochures containing 
many of the photos and a more detailed description of U.S. 
assistance programs were distributed at the exhibit openings.  A 
twenty minute film was also prepared and shown to the visitors.  It 
highlighted U.S. assistance, past and present, to the earthquake 
zone. 
 
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RECOGNITION OF U.S. ROLE 
------------------------ 
 
¶8.  The staggering of commemorative events resulted in three days of 
widespread media coverage, particularly on television.  The first 
day saw the opening of the photo exhibit in Yerevan, followed the 
next day by the opening of the photo exhibit in Gyumri, and 
culminating in the C-130's arrival on the day of the earthquake. 
 
¶9.  As is often the case, the U.S. was the single biggest donor to 
Armenia following the earthquake but, because there are no specific 
buildings with a plaque, people are either unaware or forget that 
fact.  Post found itself competing with the likes of Italy, which 
announced a 500,000 Euro donation to help rebuild Gyumri's principal 
church on the main square.  However, not even the GOAM's large scale 
commemoration of the earthquake on December 7, featuring former 
Prime Minister of the USSR Nikolay Rizhkov, was able to overshadow 
the impressive footage of the Ambassador speaking as the huge C-130 
arrived and was unloaded at the airport.  From the extent of the 
coverage and the numerous favorable comments we have received since, 
Embassy estimates that well over half of Armenia's population was 
made aware of the outpouring of assistance from the U.S. following 
the earthquake and the prominent role USG programs continue to play 
today in the earthquake zone. 
 
YOVANOVITCH