Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian decided not to support Iran’s bid for a seat on the new UN Human Rights Council, says the cable disclosed by WikiLeaks website.

“On May 6, Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Baiburtian phoned deputy head of mission to inform that Minister Oskanian had taken the final Armenian Government’s decision not to support Iran’s bid for a seat on the new UN Human Rights Council,” reads the document.

It is also mentioned that Oskanian’s decision, taken after his return from a conference in Vilnius, was influenced by the Secretary’s letter.

Another cable says that US Embassy requested that the Armenian MFA advise the Central Bank of Armenia to employ extra vigilance in monitoring the financial transaction of the Iranian owned Bank Mellat in Yerevan.

“On January 16, 2008, Poloff delivered reftel non-paper to Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Counselor for Iran and Afghanistan, Garnik Badalyan.  Poloff discussed Iran’s current efforts to establish joint banking ventures with its neighbors as a means to possibly skirt the U.N. sanctions

regime. Badalyan asked for more specific information on Bank Mellat’s nefarious activities, and stated that he would make note of the Embassy’s request,” the document reads.