Cablegate: Council of Europe: Priorities in Armenia

VZCZCXRO3659
PP RUEHSR
DE RUEHSR #0022 2671733
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241733Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL STRASBOURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0186
INFO RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0002
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0061
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0197

UNCLAS STRASBOURG 000022

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL COE AM FR
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF EUROPE: PRIORITIES IN ARMENIA

1. (SBU) Several Council of Europe (COE) ambassadors have
pointed to COE programs and influence in Armenia as one of the
COE's success stories. Our contacts, including the Armenian
Ambassador, have highlighted a positive COE role, including the
COE's Parliamentary Assembly's (PACE) enhanced monitoring of
Armenia until early this year, in influencing Armenian
authorities to address several (but not all) issues related to
the violence surrounding last year's election. They readily
acknowledge that pressure from Brussels, Washington, and other
capitals have also helped generate reforms in Yerevan.

2. (U) The draft COE Action Plan (drafted in consultation with
Armenian authorities) with Armenia for 2009-11 focuses on
supporting Yerevan's fulfillment of its COE accession
commitments and statutory obligations. Its prioritized areas
include:

the functioning of the judiciary

freedom of expression and of the media

electoral legislation and implementation

fight against ill-treatment and impunity

penitentiary reform and the fight against corruption

follow-up to constitutional reform through legal-cooperation.

3. (U) The agreement notes that the EU-Armenia Action Plan was
adopted under the European Neighborhood Policy in November 2006
to help Armenian meet the targets set by the European Union with
the help of Council of Europe expertise, including on
strengthening the application of the European Convention on
Human Rights at the national level.

4. (SBU) The Armenian Ambassador told us recently that the
agreement with the COE has not yet received Yerevan's blessing,
largely because of disagreements over some definitions of
individual projects. He noted that the agreement should include
8.1 million Euros for financing. Some of the budget will come
from the COE, some (including almost all of the 4.1 million
Euros for an "Access to justice" project) from joint programs
with the EU, and some from voluntary contributions.

CARVER

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