OSD DASD MACDOUGALL'S SEPTEMBER 15 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001410 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KZ AJ SUBJECT: OSD DASD MACDOUGALL'S SEPTEMBER 15 MEETING WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE ABIYEV Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, per 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Defense Minister Abiyev affirmed the importance of close cooperation with the US and NATO in a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense James MacDougall. MacDougall raised the importance of Azerbaijan formally notifying NATO about its intention to upgrade Nasosnaya as part of its IPAP commitment, but Abiyev said he already had informed NATO. MacDougall informed Abiyev that the US is exploring a train and equip program, but cautioned that he could not make any commitments at this time. MacDougall encouraged Abiyev to consider areas of enhanced cooperation with Kazakhstan. Although Abiyev noted his close friendship with the Kazakhstani Minister of Defense, he also said that problems at the "political level" are the main obstacle to greater security cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Abiyev was grateful for a potential visit to the US, to be discussed during MacDougall,s next visit to Azerbaijan. END SUMMARY. ABIYEV COMMITTED TO MILITARY COOPERATION -------------- ¶2. (C) Azerbaijan's Minister of Defense Safar Abiyev expressed his desire to continue close military cooperation with the US and NATO in a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary James MacDougall. Abiyev thanked MacDougall for US assistance, citing Caspian maritime programs, the realization of the BTC pipeline, and the United States' leading role in the OSCE Minsk Group,s efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. MacDougall replied by thanking the Minister for Azerbaijan,s contributions to the GWOT. He added that President Aliyev's April visit to Washington significantly advanced the level of the bilateral relationship, and the President was enthusiastic about the quality of the bilateral relationship, as well as Azerbaijan,s cooperation with NATO. NASOSNAYA AIR FIELD -------------- ¶3. (C) MacDougall reviewed Azerbaijan,s progress on its NATO IPAP, noting that as part of the IPAP, Azerbaijan and the US have been discussing the upgrade of Nasosnaya Air Base to NATO standards. MacDougall said it was important for both sides to have a clear understanding of this project and determine if Nasosnaya (or some other base) is the facility to be upgraded. MacDougall said Azerbaijan should officially notify NATO about which airfield it intends to upgrade. Such a notification was important to let NATO know Azerbaijan,s decision and to explore the possibility of Allied assistance with this project. The Ambassador observed that during a recent trip to Brussels, US NATO was not aware of a formal notification from Azerbaijan with respect to which airfield Azerbaijan intended to upgrade. Abiyev appeared defensive and surprised in his response. He noted that while the GOAJ will host a US inspection team this fall to identify improvement projects for Nasosnaya, Azerbaijan's military has limited financial resources. The military needs to focus its limited funds on increasing salaries and modernizing its weaponry to be NATO-compliant. Abiyev then claimed that the MOD had over the past 5 years via multiple letters notified NATO about its selection of Nasosnaya. (Comment: If Abiyev is right, it was unclear to US participants whether the GOAJ has used the proper notification channels with NATO. As Septel reports, the National Security Advisor to President Aliyev was not aware of an MOD decision to upgrade Nasosnaya, saying he had not received a request for funds from the MOD to carry out the upgrade. We are attempting to clarify this issue.) TRAIN AND EQUIP PROGRAM A POSSIBILITY -------------- ¶4. (C) MacDougall told Abiyev DOD was exploring options for a possible US-Azerbaijan train and equip program. (During his April 2006 visit to Washington, President Aliyev asked SECDEF to consider working with Azerbaijan on this.) MacDougall noted that any agreement would have to identify specific troop units that would serve in Iraq or Afghanistan, BAKU 00001410 002 OF 002 since the program,s funding is tied to the GWOT. He also cautioned that getting USG support for this program would be challenging. An analogous offer to train Armenians might be part of a way forward. OPEN TO COOPERATION WITH KAZAKHSTAN -------------- ¶5. (C) Turning to Kazakhstan, MacDougall observed that Kazakhstan was quietly moving toward the West, and the USG hoped for a successful trans-Caspian oil transport agreement between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. In response to MacDougall suggestion that the two states explore further avenues of military cooperation, Abiyev remarked that he had a long-standing friendship with Kazakshstani Defense Minister Altynbayev. In a veiled reference to Russian influence in Kazakhstan, Abiyev stated that the "main obstacle" to closer security cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan was at the "political level." Abiyev subsequently remarked that he had rebuffed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov's requests for closer cooperation with the CASFOR Caspian martime initiative being pushed by Moscow. MacDougall responded by saying the US supports Azerbaijan,s position on CASFOR. Abiyev then observed that Russia was drawing "closer links" to Iran. LOOKING FORWARD TO A US VISIT -------------- ¶6. (C) MacDougall thanked Abiyev for Azerbaijan's military cooperation. Abiyev appeared pleased with MacDougall's closing remark that they would have to decide on a date for Abiyev,s visit to the US during MacDougall's next visit to Azerbaijan in December. ¶7. (U) DASD MacDougall cleared this message. DERSE