Cablegate: Oct 20 Letter From Fm Nalbandian to the Secretary

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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYE #0746 2931352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201352Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9648
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1839
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0819

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000746

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

FOR S/ES-CR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PGOV PREL TU AM
SUBJECT: OCT 20 LETTER FROM FM NALBANDIAN TO THE SECRETARY

1. (U) On October 20, while receiving EUR DAS Tina Kaidanow in
Yerevan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian handed over a letter
addressed by him to the Secretary. Below is the verbatim text of
the signed-English language original, which is dated October 20,
2009. Post will send signed original separately.

2. (SBU) Text:

Madam Secretary,

I would like to take the opportunity of the visit of Deputy
Assistant Secretary Tina Kaidanow to Armenia and transmit this
letter to your attention.

It is my pleasure and honor to extend my gratitude to the State
Department and to you, personally, for the crucial role you play,
Madam Secretary, in the normalization process of Armenia-Turkey
relations. I would like to thank you once again for your vital
contribution during the signing of bilateral Protocols in Zurich.

Please cnvey my high appreciation to Assistant Secretary Philip
Gordon and US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch for all their
efforts in support of this process.

A last minute glitch caused by the Turkish side in Zurich clearly
demonstrated that we now need to focus on the subsequent phases of
normalization of relations in order to keep the positive momentum
and prevent developments that can potentially derail the process.
Armenia is committed to respecting its obligations deriving from the
Protocols.

I truly believe that once ratified and properly implemented the
documents will provide foundation for the relationship between
Armenia and Turkey and could be beneficial for the entire region of
South Caucasus.

Madam Secretary,

After more than a year of hard work the sides reached very important
but at the same time still very fragile stage of the normalization
process and your support is very important not to lose the historic
chance for reconciliation between the two peoples.

I look forward to continuing our close and fruitful cooperation in
pursuit of strengthening regional stability and Armenia-US friendly
partnership.

Please accept, Madam Secretary, the assurances of my highest
consideration.

Sincerely,
/s/
Edward Nalbandian

H.E. Hillary R. Clinton Secretary of State
Of the United States of America Washington, DC

End text

Yovanovitch

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