Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU1432
2006-10-03 05:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES CASPIAN SEA
how-toVZCZCXRO7536 RR RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK DE RUEHKB #1432/01 2760524 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 030524Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1361 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1753 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0481 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001432
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES CASPIAN SEA
NAVAL BUILDUP; NASOSNAYA WITH GENERAL WARD
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001432
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES CASPIAN SEA
NAVAL BUILDUP; NASOSNAYA WITH GENERAL WARD
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: During a September 21 meeting with the
Ambassador and visiting EUCOM Deputy Commander General
William "Kip" Ward, Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Sabir
Abiyev expressed concern that Russia and Iran are building up
their naval forces in the Caspian Sea. Abiyev complained
about Iranian economic support for Armenia, and that Russia
plans to transport spent Iranian nuclear fuel through
Azerbaijan. Abiyev said that Azerbaijan is waiting to
designate the Nasosonya airbase as the NATO IPAP airbase
until "after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" is resolved.
Abiyev thanked Ward for USG and DoD assistance to the
Azerbaijani military and expressed a desire that this
cooperation continue and be enhanced. END SUMMARY.
CASPIAN SEA NAVAL BUILDUP
--------------
2. (C) During a September 21 meeting with Ambassador and
visiting Deputy EUCOM Commander General Ward, Azerbaijani
Minister of Defense Abiyev expressed concern about what he
characterized as an ongoing naval buildup in the Caspian Sea.
He said that Iran had recently inaugurated five rocket boats
in the south Caspian Sea. Of these, four boats had the
capacity to destroy a target at 65 kilometers and the fifth
had the capacity to destroy a target at 120 kilometers. He
said that Russia has also recently begun reenhancing their
Caspian naval forces. Abiyev said that Russian Defense
Minister Sergey Ivanov told him that Russia had recently
brought a large rocket ship online in the Caspian.
Additionally, Abiyev said that Russia planned to transfer
some of its naval forces from the Black Sea to the Caspian
Sea.
RUSSIA-IRAN-ARMENIA RELATIONS
--------------
3. (C) In the context of a wider discussion about the
Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict, Abiyev noted that Iran
maintains close relations with individuals in the occupied
territories. Abiyev also noted with some consternation that
Iran was fully financing a hydroelectric power plant on the
Araz River that will provide power to Armenia. Abiyev said
that Armenia was contributing no financing to the project.
Finally, Abiyev noted that he had recently learned that
Russia plans to transport Iranian spent nuclear fuel back to
Russia via Azerbaijan. He claimed that 30 per cent of this
fuel would then be sold to Armenia.
NASOSNAYA
--------------
4. (C) When the subject turned to Nasosnaya and the
possibility of formally designating this base as the base
which would be upgraded to NATO standards under Azerbaijan's
Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP),Abiyev said that a
concrete decision on Nasosnaya has not been made. Asked when
a decision would be made Abiyev replied that Azerbaijan will
"work on Nasosnya when the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is
solved."
TRAINING AND STATE OF AZERBAIJANI MILITARY
--------------
5. (C) Abiyev thanked General Ward for the support that
Azerbaijan has received from the USG and the Department of
Defense. He said that Azerbaijan currently has eight
different bilateral programs with the U.S. which are very
productive. He said that Azerbaijani military officers are
receiving education in four NATO members states and that
1,000 military officers are taking part in NATO-related
activities abroad, in addition to the 25-30 officers who are
undergoing military training in the United States. Abiyev
expressed a keen interest in increasing and intensifying the
military-to-military cooperation. Finally, he added that
currently one of the biggest problems that is faced by the
Azerbaijani military, after Armenia, was disease, claiming
that several military personnel die each year as a result of
disease (NFI).
6. (C) General Ward expressed his thanks to Abiyev for the
close cooperation between the MoD and DoD and complimented
BAKU 00001432 002 OF 002
Abiyev about the Azerbaijani troops he visited in Baku. Ward
expressed a desire to discuss further Iranian activities in
the south Caspian Sea when the two meet again.
7. (U) This message has not been cleared with General Ward.
DERSE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES CASPIAN SEA
NAVAL BUILDUP; NASOSNAYA WITH GENERAL WARD
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: During a September 21 meeting with the
Ambassador and visiting EUCOM Deputy Commander General
William "Kip" Ward, Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Sabir
Abiyev expressed concern that Russia and Iran are building up
their naval forces in the Caspian Sea. Abiyev complained
about Iranian economic support for Armenia, and that Russia
plans to transport spent Iranian nuclear fuel through
Azerbaijan. Abiyev said that Azerbaijan is waiting to
designate the Nasosonya airbase as the NATO IPAP airbase
until "after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" is resolved.
Abiyev thanked Ward for USG and DoD assistance to the
Azerbaijani military and expressed a desire that this
cooperation continue and be enhanced. END SUMMARY.
CASPIAN SEA NAVAL BUILDUP
--------------
2. (C) During a September 21 meeting with Ambassador and
visiting Deputy EUCOM Commander General Ward, Azerbaijani
Minister of Defense Abiyev expressed concern about what he
characterized as an ongoing naval buildup in the Caspian Sea.
He said that Iran had recently inaugurated five rocket boats
in the south Caspian Sea. Of these, four boats had the
capacity to destroy a target at 65 kilometers and the fifth
had the capacity to destroy a target at 120 kilometers. He
said that Russia has also recently begun reenhancing their
Caspian naval forces. Abiyev said that Russian Defense
Minister Sergey Ivanov told him that Russia had recently
brought a large rocket ship online in the Caspian.
Additionally, Abiyev said that Russia planned to transfer
some of its naval forces from the Black Sea to the Caspian
Sea.
RUSSIA-IRAN-ARMENIA RELATIONS
--------------
3. (C) In the context of a wider discussion about the
Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict, Abiyev noted that Iran
maintains close relations with individuals in the occupied
territories. Abiyev also noted with some consternation that
Iran was fully financing a hydroelectric power plant on the
Araz River that will provide power to Armenia. Abiyev said
that Armenia was contributing no financing to the project.
Finally, Abiyev noted that he had recently learned that
Russia plans to transport Iranian spent nuclear fuel back to
Russia via Azerbaijan. He claimed that 30 per cent of this
fuel would then be sold to Armenia.
NASOSNAYA
--------------
4. (C) When the subject turned to Nasosnaya and the
possibility of formally designating this base as the base
which would be upgraded to NATO standards under Azerbaijan's
Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP),Abiyev said that a
concrete decision on Nasosnaya has not been made. Asked when
a decision would be made Abiyev replied that Azerbaijan will
"work on Nasosnya when the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is
solved."
TRAINING AND STATE OF AZERBAIJANI MILITARY
--------------
5. (C) Abiyev thanked General Ward for the support that
Azerbaijan has received from the USG and the Department of
Defense. He said that Azerbaijan currently has eight
different bilateral programs with the U.S. which are very
productive. He said that Azerbaijani military officers are
receiving education in four NATO members states and that
1,000 military officers are taking part in NATO-related
activities abroad, in addition to the 25-30 officers who are
undergoing military training in the United States. Abiyev
expressed a keen interest in increasing and intensifying the
military-to-military cooperation. Finally, he added that
currently one of the biggest problems that is faced by the
Azerbaijani military, after Armenia, was disease, claiming
that several military personnel die each year as a result of
disease (NFI).
6. (C) General Ward expressed his thanks to Abiyev for the
close cooperation between the MoD and DoD and complimented
BAKU 00001432 002 OF 002
Abiyev about the Azerbaijani troops he visited in Baku. Ward
expressed a desire to discuss further Iranian activities in
the south Caspian Sea when the two meet again.
7. (U) This message has not been cleared with General Ward.
DERSE