Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU1471
2006-10-11 04:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

NAKHCHIVAN - UNDERGROUND IRANIAN INFLUENCE

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL KDEM IR AJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5182
PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKB #1471/01 2840438
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 110438Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1425
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC 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 001471 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM IR AJ
SUBJECT: NAKHCHIVAN - UNDERGROUND IRANIAN INFLUENCE
REPORTEDLY ON THE RISE

REF: BAKU 502

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 001471

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM IR AJ
SUBJECT: NAKHCHIVAN - UNDERGROUND IRANIAN INFLUENCE
REPORTEDLY ON THE RISE

REF: BAKU 502


1. (C) SUMMARY: Conventional wisdom, especially as
articulated by GOAJ officials, is that Azerbaijan's
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is completely isolated and
dependent upon Iran for its economic livelihood (reftel). A
recent visit to Nakhchivan revealed less official rhetoric
about Nakhchivan's dependence on Iran and a tightening in its
visa regime with Iran - less than a year after visas had been
waived. At the same time, both the Turkish Consul General
and NGO activists separately complained of growing
"underground" Iranian influence in the autonomous republic.
Given the local authorities' tight controls over civil
society, they likely are keeping a wary eye on reports of
such Iranian activity in Nakhchivan; we suspect this could be
linked to the sudden reversal in visa policy. END SUMMARY.

Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic - A Different Country
-------------- --------------


2. (C) In a recent visit to Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic from 25 to 27 September, post's Iran
Watcher met with a wide range of contacts and traveled
extensively within the exclave. An autonomous republic
established during the Soviet period, the exclave continues
to maintain its own parallel governmental structures,
including its own parliament and passport control, for
example. Cut off from the Republic of Azerbaijan proper,
Nakhchivan shares open borders with Turkey and Iran, and a
closed border with Armenia. Azerbaijani government officials
historically have pointed to Nakhchivan's dependence on Iran
for both trade and energy as an important factor moderating
the GOAJ's public stance toward Iran.

Tight Control Over Civil Society Efforts
--------------


3. (C) Nakhchivan's local authorities maintain tight control
over society, further adding to the autonomous republic's
sense of isolation. In a holdover from the Soviet era,
security services keep a close eye on civil society and are
particularly suspicious of foreign influences. NGO activists
reported that opposition political parties are not allowed to

operate openly in the autonomous republic and the sale of
their newspapers is forbidden. NGO activists also said that
local authorities viewed their activities as "subversive,"
routinely refusing NGOs the ability to register and operate.
For example, government authorities recently banned the
distribution of pamphlets seeking to raise HIV awareness,
citing the "subversive nature" of the pamphlets and stating
that there was no HIV problem in Nakhchivan.

"Good" Relations with Iran
--------------


4. (C) Vugar Safarov, Head of the Executive Authority of
Nakhchivan City (essentially Nakhchivan's governor),
characterized Nakhchivan's relations with Iran to be "good"
and said that relations remained unaffected by increasing
tensions between the international community and Iran. Asked
to elaborate on economic and energy ties, Safarov was
unwilling to provide any in-depth details, indicating that
links were extensive and that he would not elaborate because
"these were the internal issues of both countries." However,
in stark contrast with government officials consulted on
previous embassy visits to the exclave (reftel),Safarov was
extremely rational and did not stress Nakhchivan's situation
in the dire terms previous local government interlocutors
did. In fact, with respect to energy exchanges (Azerbaijan
supplying natural gas to Iran's Astara region in exchange for
Iranian supplies to Nakhchivan),Safarov indicated that he
believed Iran to be benefiting more from the exchange,
arguing that northern Iran was in far greater need of energy
supplies than Nakhchivan.

Iranians "Up to No Good"
--------------


5. (C) According to the Republic of Turkey's Consul General
in Nakhchivan Sefa Yuceer, the Iranians are "up to no good"
in Nakhchivan. In his view, the size of the Iranian
Consulate General in Nakhchivan was simply too large given
Nakhchivan's relatively small geographic area and, in his
view, limited economic importance to Iran. Yuceer argued
that Nakhchivan serves primarily as an import/export corridor
for Iran. Describing his efforts to ascertain the size and
makeup of the Iranian Consulate General's staff, he reported
that he was unable to obtain a copy of the diplomatic list

BAKU 00001471 002 OF 002


from local authorities. Additionally, he was able to confirm
that as in Baku, the Iranian Consul General and many of his
key staffers were of ethnic Azeri origin. Providing insights
into the current visa regime in existence between citizens of
Nakhchivan and Iran, Yuceer said that Nakhchivanis were now
required to present a tourist visa to enter Iran (available
from the Iranian Consulate General for a fee of 46 US
Dollars). He confirmed that the previous visa-free travel
regime was no longer in effect and that the previously issued
Iranian "travel document" for Nakhchivani citizens (allowing
them visa-free travel to Iran) was no longer valid. Both
points were corroborated by our NGO and other contacts.

Iranian Underground Activity on the Rise?
--------------


6. (C) In a meeting with local NGO representatives sponsored
by Mahammad Rzayev and Malahat Nasibova of the Democracy and
NGO Development Resource Center, a number of representatives
voiced their concerns about "underground" Iranian activities,
especially in rural areas. According to them, many
Nakhchivanis turn to religion and religious charities for
support, due to the local government's failure to deliver
basic services and the inability of NGOs to address these
deficiencies. Citing the example of a rural family that
could not afford life-saving medical treatment for the
family's matriarch, anonymous "donors" paid for all expenses
- to include the operation at a hospital in Iran. Others
claimed that Iranian "agents" were known to make cash
payments (in US Dollars) to assist with financial calamities
experienced in the communities in which they operated, to
include emergency medical treatment and deaths in the family.
All meeting participants agreed that what was enabling the
Iranians to increase their influence was not only the failure
of the local government to attend to the basic needs of its
people, but also the increase in religious leaders (trained
at Iranian theological seminaries) returning home to
Nakhchivan to guide their followers.


7. (C) Comment: Safarov's comments represent a significant
change from previous Nakhchivani officials' rhetoric
regarding the autonomous republic's dependence on Iran.
Whether or not the reintroduction of the visa requirement
(which had been waived with great fanfare during
Ahmadinejad's December 2005 visit to Nakhchivan) is tied to
increased Iranian underground activity is yet to be seen.
Post will continue to monitor these developments in future
visits. End Comment.
DERSE