Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU1372
2006-09-20 08:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AZERBAIJAN CONFERENCE

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KDEM IR AJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 200856Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1273
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001372 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KDEM IR AJ
SUBJECT: NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AZERBAIJAN CONFERENCE
CALLS FOR ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

REF: BAKU 1266

Classified By: DCM Jason P. Hyland for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001372

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KDEM IR AJ
SUBJECT: NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AZERBAIJAN CONFERENCE
CALLS FOR ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

REF: BAKU 1266

Classified By: DCM Jason P. Hyland for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: The National Movement of South Azerbaijan
held its first-ever forum in Baku on 12 September to draw
international attention to the plight of Iran's ethnic
Azeris. Under the leadership of Etibar Mammadov, an
Azerbaijani opposition politician (reftel),the movement is
made up of representatives from a number of political
organizations seeking greater independence for ethnic Azeris
in Iran. At the conference, over one hundred participants
representing a wide range of political parties, NGOs, human
rights organizations, and the press gathered to exchange
ideas and discuss strategies for elevating this issue to the
international level. While official representatives of the
GOAJ did not participate in the event, a number of members of
political parties closely affiliated with the government did
(possibly in an effort to deflect ongoing opposition
criticism of the government for its failure to support ethnic
Azeris in Iran). Conference participants urged Azeris
worldwide to focus their efforts, called upon the
international community to support ethnic Azeris living in
Iran, and urged ethnic Azeris occupying positions of
authority in Iran to support their ethnic brethren. The
conference, which received extensive local media coverage,
resulted in the formation of a "coordination council" which
will work to achieve international support for the movement,
protect the rights of ethnic Azeris in Iran, and provide
information and support to the movement. End Summary.

--------------
The Speakers
--------------


2. (C) Opening the National Movement of South Azerbaijan's
12 September conference, Azerbaijani opposition politician
Etibar Mammadov stated that the May 2006 demonstrations by
Iran's ethnic Azeri community had catalyzed Azeris everywhere
and spawned a "national movement" seeking to guarantee their
rights. Citing the increased national awareness of Iran's

ethnic Azeris and their demands for greater national,
cultural, and economic rights, Mammadov called upon the
support of the international community. He made numerous
references to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, claiming the
treatment of ethnic Azeris in Iran is no different from that
experienced by Nagorno-Karabakh's former Azerbaijani
community. Concluding, Mammadov urged conference attendees
to support the "national reawakening" of Iran's ethnic Azeris
by consolidating their efforts and helping to better
communicate the demands of ethnic Azeris to the international
community.


3. (C) Following Mammadov's call-to-action, Sadiq Isabeyli,
another Azerbaijani advocate of Iran's ethnic Azeris,
provided an extensive overview of the oppressive measures
undertaken against the ethnic Azeri movement by Iranian
authorities. Drawing upon an extensive array of video and
photographic evidence, Isabeyli sought to illuminate the
Islamic Republic's "ruthless suppression" of its ethnic
Azeris. The final speaker to address the conference was
Ahmad Obali, an ethnic Azeri originally from Iran and head of
GunAz Television (a Chicago-based satellite television
station that broadcasts to Iran's ethnic Azeri population).
Obali's speech provided participants with detailed insights
into the nature and scope of the May 2006 protests, offered
details of Iran's efforts to weaken its ethnic Azeri
population through assimilation, and called upon Azeris
everywhere to become more self reliant and start working
together to better support their ethnic brethren in Iran.

--------------
The Participants
--------------


4. (C) Participants in the conference represented a wide
range of political parties, NGOs, human rights organizations,
and media outlets. Notable participants from the Azerbaijani
political opposition included Members of Parliament Asim
Mollazade and Panah Huseynli, Sardar Jalaloghlu, deputy
chairman of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, and Almurad
Elchibay, brother of late President Abulfaz Elchibay. Also
in attendance were opposition politicians and Members of
Parliament with allegedly close ties to the government,
locally referred to as the "pocket opposition." One
conference participant noted their presence, saying privately
that this was a clear indication that the government was
sensitive to ongoing opposition criticism of the GOAJ's

BAKU 00001372 002 OF 002


position on the status and treatment of ethnic Azeris living
in Iran (the GOAJ having taken an extremely low-key public
stance on the May 2006 protests).


5. (C) A number of human rights activists and
representatives from international Azeri organizations also
participated. Advocates for ethnic Azeris included Murad
Saddadinov, a well-known Azerbaijani human rights activist,
and Tunzala Rustamkhanli, a vocal advocate on the behalf of
Armenian and Iranian Azeri populations. A variety of
Georgian Azeri organizations participated as did
representatives from international political organizations
seeking greater independence for Iran's ethnic Azeris. These
included Ajdar Taghizade and Ali Nicat of the World
Azerbaijani Congress (DAK),Mahmud Bilgin of the Azerbaijani
Federation of Sweden, Baku spokesperson of the Southern
Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement (GAMOH) Agri
Qaradagli, and Saleh Ildirim of the South Azerbaijan
Independence Party (GAIP). Later in the conference, these
five representatives along with the three keynote speakers
were selected to form the movement's "coordination council."
Tasked with achieving international recognition of and
support for the movement, Etibar Mammadov was selected to
head the new council.


6. (C) Local journalists participated in the conference and
media coverage was extensive. In addition to local media
coverage, journalists from Turkey's TRT Television covered
the event. Mrs. Zahra Sayyadi, Baku bureau chief of the
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA),herself an ethnic Azeri,
also attended.

--------------
The Results
--------------


7. (C) Comment: The day-long conference at the four-star
Europe Hotel was surprisingly well organized and funded (it
is not clear who provided funding for this event or who is
backing the movement financially). Following the keynote
addresses, a number of roundtable discussions and strategy
sessions were held, affording participants the opportunity to
meet and share their views. Despite numerous references to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and attempts by some
participants to draw parallels and connect the two issues,
these efforts did not distract participants from the task at
hand. Also noteworthy was the near total absence of any
criticism of the GOAJ or international community for failing
to act in support of Iran's ethnic Azeris. However, several
days later in a local newspaper article, Etibar Mammadov
accused the U.S. of having "supported the mullah regime in
Iran" by remaining silent and not speaking out in support of
ethnic Azeris during the May protests. End comment.
DERSE