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Viewing cable 04YEREVAN2367, RUSSIA OPENS BORDERS TO CAUCASUS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04YEREVAN2367 2004-10-25 08:57 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Yerevan
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS YEREVAN 002367 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN FOR SIDEREAS, EUR/ACE FOR LONGI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL RS AM
SUBJECT: RUSSIA OPENS BORDERS TO CAUCASUS 
 
Ref: YEREVAN 2216 
 
1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
protect accordingly. 
 
----------------- 
BORDER OPEN AGAIN 
----------------- 
 
2. (SBU) On Friday October 22, the Russian government 
reopened the border checkpoint Verkhniy Lars that had been 
closed September 15, following the Beslan School shootings 
in North Ossetia.  (Note:  Russian MFA confirmed the border 
opening.  End Note.)  The closure had put the squeeze of 
Armenian companies importing goods from Russia, raising 
transport costs by as much as 30 percent and stalling rows 
of cargo-laden trucks at the border.  The government of 
Armenia had raised the issues on many levels with the 
Russian government to no avail. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
KOCHARIAN'S CALL TO PUTIN -- COINCIDENCE? 
----------------------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) President Kocharian's official website claims that 
he initiated a call to Russia's President Putin the same day 
the border opened, October 22, to discuss the "development 
and strengthening of Bilateral issues."  A source from the 
Russian MFA who was familiar with the Kocharian-Putin 
telephone conversation said that the October 22 opening was 
"pure coincidence and should not be understood to have been 
brought about by Kocharian's call."  The coincidental nature 
of Kocharian's intervention was underscored by press reports 
which state that Russia has re-opened its land borders with 
Azerbaijan as well. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
4. (SBU) The temporary closure of Russia's land border with 
Georgia was a strong reminder to Armenia of its dependence 
on transit through Georgia and Russia's northern Caucasus, 
underscoring Armenia's relatively weak bargaining power in 
the region. 
 
5. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Moscow. 
EVANS