PRESIDENT ALIYEV COMMENTS ON ANS SUSPENSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAKU 001739 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CASC AJ SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ALIYEV COMMENTS ON ANS SUSPENSION REF: A. BAKU 1738 ¶B. BAKU 1729 ¶C. BAKU 1714 ¶D. BAKU 1713 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ANNE E. DERSE PER 1.4(B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a November 29 interview, President Aliyev affirmed his commitment to build a modern democratic state based on rule of law, but said that independent ANS Television (whose operations were suspended November 24) must follow the law. Aliyev also criticized the opposition for "politicizing" the Azadliq newspaper building eviction. FM Mammadyarov clarified President Aliyev's statements in a November 29 telcon with the Ambassador, stating that the situation will be resolved "with time" as long as ANS continues its negotiations with the NTRC in good faith. Mammadyarov said that the rule of law is "all-sided, not one-sided" and that the President had told him ANS was "only the beginning;" that he would also cancel the Russian channels illegally operating in Azerbaijan. In a separate November 29 meeting, the Ambassador delivered a strong demarche on media freedom to First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, to which he responded that the decision to suspend ANS' operations was made by an independent council, not the GOAJ. (COMMENT: While both President Aliyev and FM Mammadyarov have affirmed the GOAJ commitment to democracy, we are concerned that the GOAJ has not responded favorably to our request to reconsider its decision to suspend ANS broadcasts while negotiations continue.) ¶2. (C) SUMMARY CONTINUED: ANS President Vahid Mustafayev was questioned today by the Prosecutor General's office in the ongoing investigation of an alleged copyright infringement case. The evicted Popular Front Party and independent media outlets continue to have limited access to their possessions, but Bizim Yol newspaper was able to print for the first time since the eviction. The State Property Committee announced November 28 that the 33 Khagani location will be officially given to a teachers organization. Several other opposition parties and newspapers have expressed concern over their properties. END SUMMARY ALIYEV INTERVIEW AND MAMMADYAROV CLARIFICATION -------------- - ¶3. (U) In a November 29 interview with AzTV aboard the presidential aircraft en route to Baku, President Aliyev delivered remarks concerning the recent ANS closure and opposition eviction from 33 Khagani street (see ref a for transcript). Aliyev said that he was trying to build a modern democratic state based on the rule of law and that neither he nor any other public officials were above the law. He commented that he has always been a supporter of ANS but that like all companies, ANS must comply with the law. Aliyev told the interviewer that he strongly believes in media freedom and that if ANS addresses the concerns outlined in the NTRC notice of closure, he believes the channel would be able to resume its broadcast. He added that while some in media appear to seek special privileges, as President he must demand that everyone follow the law. In the same interview, Aliyev dismissed Azadliq newspaper's complaints, commenting that the paper has an received excellent office space in the Azerbaijan Publishing House building, where several other publications are located. Aliyev contended that the opposition media had wrongly politicized the Azadliq case and made no reference to the eviction of the opposition Popular Front Party (PFP),Bizim Yol newspaper, or Turan News Agency. ¶4. (C) In a November 29 telcon with the Ambassador following the President's remarks, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov affirmed President Aliyev's commitment to democracy and rule of law, and said resolution of the ANS licensing issue is simply a "question of time, not a matter for today or tomorrow." Mammadyarov said that ANS will "finish negotiations and get the license." He continued, saying "I think they will get the license, but it is very important that the President of ANS negotiate with the NTRC. The situation will be more flexible - we need a little more time. As Secretary Rice said, democracy has its ups and downs. When I talked to the President, he said it will only be down for a short time. Rule of law is very important; it is all-sided, not one-sided." (Mammadyarov later predicted the issue would be resolved within the next three to six weeks.) Commenting favorably on ANS' "constructive" public statements and letters regarding the closure, Mammadyarov said ANS should continue its negotiations with the NTRC. Mammadyarov stressed that the rule of law applies to "everyone," and said that the President, who is "pissed-off" at the Russians, will cancel the Russian channels that are illegally operating in the country. Mammadyarov argued that the ANS closure should be considered from the perspective of Azerbaijan's own domestic BAKU 00001739 002 OF 003 politics. "Those old guys who steal, who joined the party for career-building, are pretty influential," Mammadyarov said cryptically, declining to further clarify; "it's very important to consider this issue from that perspective." Mammadyarov noted that President Aliyev agreed to give his first-ever airplane interview to address the ANS issue. AMBASSADOR DELIVERS DEMARCHE TO FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) The Ambassador met November 29 with First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov and delivered a strong demarche on freedom of the media in Azerbaijan, highlighting both the shutdown of ANS broadcasting and the eviction of PFP and several news outlets from their building. Eyyubov was defensive, saying that Azerbaijan was working toward its goals of rule of law and democracy, and that Azerbaijan has many other newspapers and independent television stations, not just ANS. However, Eyyubov was careful to say that the decision against ANS was made by an independent council, not by the GOAJ. He also objected to the Ambassador's use of the term "closure" regarding ANS, insisting that the closure of a company could only be made by a court decision, and that ANS was under "temporary suspension" under the authority of the NTRC, and that the matter was under review. ANS LEADERSHIP QUESTIONED BY PROSECUTOR GENERAL -------------- -- ¶6. (C) Also on November 29, ANS President Vahid Mustafayev appeared before the Prosecutor General's office (PGO) after receiving a November 28 summons. His summons came after ANS Vice President Mirshahin Agayev was questioned by the PGO regarding an alleged copyright infringement investigation (see ref b). Mustafayev told PAO that the PGO questioned him in a straightforward manner, after which he was immediately released. Enver Safir, the Director of the Eurasia Regional Office of Marketing and Program Placement, reported that ANS Vice President Seyfulla Mustafayev fears he will be summoned and subsequently jailed. Seyfulla Mustafayev also told Safir that the GOAJ only unfroze ANS' bank accounts after discovering that the accounts were empty, as ANS staff had anticipated the move and withdrawn their savings prior to the accounts being frozen. EVICTED ORGANIZATIONS ALLOWED LIMITED ACCESS TO POSSESSIONS -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) PFP officials and Bizim Yol newspaper staff reported November 29 that they were allowed to move their computers from the building designated by the State Property Committee (see ref c) to their preferred site, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP) headquarters. For the first time since the November 24 eviction, Bizim Yol was able to publish its daily opposition newspaper, working out of the ADP building. However, PFP officials and Bizim Yol staff said that police continue to prevent the organizations from removing their remaining possessions (mostly furniture and books) from the site at which they were dumped on November 25. Azadliq newspaper staff reported that they still have not been able to remove their equipment from the basement of the State Property Committee-designated building to their preferred location, the Yeni Musavat newspaper building. They also claim that Presidential Advisor for Social and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov is somehow linked to the organization that still occupies the office designated for Azadliq by the State Property Committee. Although Azadliq has been able to continue its daily publication, PFP Chair Ali Kerimli told us that circulation has decreased from its previous number of 8,600 to 5,500, and that he expects a further decrease. Kerimli said that although the newspaper is trying to prolong its existence, he fully expects the paper - which is burdened with over USD 200,000 in fines from criminal libel suits - to eventually be forced to close. UPDATE ON 33 KHAGANI -------------- ¶8. (C) In a November 28 press statement, the State Property Committee announced that the vacated 33 Khagani location will officially be given to the Azerbaijan Teachers Qualification Institute. (NOTE: The State Property Committee, with support from the Baku Mayor's office and the Ministry of Education, had based its lawsuit against the tenants of the 33 Khagani location on claims that in 1992, the then PFP-controlled GOAJ had unfairly evicted the Azerbaijan Teachers Qualification Institute in order to grant the building to Azadliq newspaper.) The Institute is expected to move to the building after unspecified repairs are completed. Rumors continue to circulate that this building will eventually be given to First Lady Mehriban Aliyev, who allegedly owns a newly-opened bakery next door to 33 Khagani. BAKU 00001739 003 OF 003 TROUBLE BREWING FOR OTHER OPPOSITION GROUPS? -------------- ¶9. (C) According to a November 28 press report, the State Property Committee continues to postpone signing a long-term contract with the ADP regarding the party's downtown headquarters. ADP is currently leasing the building - which also houses the opposition Hurriyyet newspaper and serves as the temporary offices of evicted PFP executives and Bizim Yol newspaper staff - from the State Property Committee. According to Gurban Jalaloghlu, brother of acting ADP Chair as well as active ADP member, the Committee appealed to the Economic Court at the end of October, claiming that the tenants owed back rent. Jalaloghlu said that the party has paid some of this debt, but is holding the remaining amount until the State Property Committee finalizes a long-term lease agreement. Hurriyyet Acting Editor in Chief Anar Hassanli told us that the debt the State Property Committee is demanding from the ADP building tenants is for overdue rent payments, but that paying it will not resolve the problem while the court case remains open. Hassanli expects a court decision within the next few weeks. ADP Acting Chair Sardar Jalaloghlu told Emboff that the GOAJ has no justification to force them to leave the building. ¶10. (C) Deputy Editor of Yeni Musavat newspaper Azer Ayhan told us that although the State Property Committee had promised newspaper staff that they could remain in their current location as long as they would like, the building has recently been privatized. Ayhan was not certain who the new owner is, but fears that the building's landlord will come under pressure and evict Yeni Musavat from the building (which also serves as Azadliq newspaper's current office). Azerbaijan Liberal Party Chair Lala Shovket told us that she was also facing pressure to vacate from the landlord of the party's privately-owned building. COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (C) Both President Aliyev (now publicly) and FM Mammadyarov have affirmed the GOAJ commitment to democracy and media freedom. Their comments on the ANS situation do not respond to our request that ANS be allowed to continue to broadcast as negotiations to resolve alleged regulatory violations continue. They do, however, open the door to the possibility of a negotiated solution over time. We recommend that if Washington decides to issue a statement on the issue, it be in line with previous guidance and not comment on President Aliyev's November 29 interview. DERSE