In one of the cables disclosed by WikiLeaks U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch presents in-depth coverage of the opposition rally held in Yerevan on May 2009.  

“Under the shadow of a heavy police presence, the opposition led by ex-President Levon Ter-Petrossian (LTP) held its second rally of the year on May 1.  LTP accused President Sargsian of being willing to pay any price -- even denial of the genocide -- to remain in power, as evidenced by his support for the April 22 joint statement with Turkey regarding normalization of relations,” the document says. 

Yovanovitch mentions that despite opposition claims that tens of thousands attended the event, the crowd size was assessed by embassy officials at six-to-eight thousand.

“LTP’s tone while criticizing President Sargsian on Turkey and Nagorno-Karabakh was less vitriolic than it could have been. LTP further diffused the effect by also lambasting former President Kocharian and the Armenian Diaspora on the issue.  Nevertheless, the remarks were not helpful.  

In contrast with the large turnouts at LTP’s campaign and protest rallies in 2008, the May 1 event paled in comparison. Although the road blocks likely prevented regional supporters from attending the rally, LTP’s traditional base of support has always  been in Yerevan -- where people were free to come and go on May 1, and where warm weather and a holiday made conditions ideal for a large turnout.  

Although one can never rule out the wily ex-president, slackening attendance at his rallies suggests that his supporters might be losing faith in his chances to win an election in the current political climate,” the cable reads.