Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU234
2006-02-15 13:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJANI FM MEETS WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000234
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SNEC FOR AMBASSADOR MANN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2016
TAGS: AM ENRG IR IS KZ PREL RU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI FM MEETS WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS
OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Classified By: Ambassador Reno L. Harnish, III, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000234
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SNEC FOR AMBASSADOR MANN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2016
TAGS: AM ENRG IR IS KZ PREL RU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI FM MEETS WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS
OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Classified By: Ambassador Reno L. Harnish, III, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
1. (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov met February 13 with leaders from the Conference
of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Mammadyarov characterized Azerbaijan's relations with the
United States as a "strategic partnership" and said that
Azerbaijan wants closer relations with Israel, although he
admitted that Azerbaijan's OIC membership would impose some
restrictions. He would not comment as to when Azerbaijan
would open an embassy in Israel. Mammadyarov blamed Armenia
for the lack of results from the Paris talks on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Yerevan refused to
compromise. Mammadyarov also discussed regional energy
projects in detail, including bringing Kazakhstan oil into
the BTC pipeline and exporting Shah Deniz gas to southern and
central Europe. Mammadyarov addressed relations with Russia
and Iran, noting the importance of Russian agricultural
markets and worries about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The
audience gave Mammadyarov a warm welcome as a proven friend
of the American Jewish community. END SUMMARY.
--------------
RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. AND WITH ISRAEL
--------------
2. (C) Speaking to a delegation of more than 70 leaders and
other participants from the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov
began by briefly reviewing the history of U.S.-Azerbaijan
relations, which he characterized as having moved from
cooperation in the energy sector to "strategic partnership"
on a wide variety of issues. Hopefully, he said, Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act would soon be "relegated to
history." Azerbaijan has made steady progress on democracy
and human rights, he argued. Mammadyarov also said that he
has a "comfortable" relationship with the Israeli Ambassador
in Baku and that Azerbaijan intends to build close relations
with Israel. When asked during the question-and-answer
session, Mammadyarov did not give a direct answer as to
whether Azerbaijan will open an Embassy in Israel in the near
future. Instead, he said that Azerbaijan is "moving in the
direction" of expanding its relations with Israel, sending
more and more delegations there and increasing economic ties
(NOTE: In a late meeting, President Aliyev said he expected a
breakthrough this year on the question of establishing an
Azerbaijan Trade Commission in Israel. END NOTE). However,
Mammadyarov also cited Azerbaijan's membership in the
Organization of the Islamic Conference, noting that this
places restrictions on Azerbaijan's behavior and that the OIC
has been supportive of Azerbaijan in the past.
-------------- -
ARMENIA AND THE CONFLICT OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH
-------------- -
3. (C) Mammadyarov discussed the recent Aliyev-Kocharian
meeting in Paris, going into some detail as to the background
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mammadyarov asserted that
a breakthrough had not been achieved in Paris primarily due
to what he characterized as Armenia taking a line of "no
compromise." According to Mammadyarov, the GOAJ had hoped
that Armenia would be willing to defer a determination of the
final status of N-K to the future and discuss withdrawing its
forces from the territories surrounding N-K proper. However,
Mammadyarov asserted, during the Paris talks the GOAM
rejected the concept of de-linking these two issues.
4. (C) Mammadyarov also briefly mentioned the concept of a
new rail link between Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Turkish
city of Kars and indicated that Azerbaijan would press ahead
with this project. The Foreign Minister said that a
feasibility study had been completed and the estimated cost
of the project is between USD 400-500 million. Mammadyarov
said that Azerbaijan wishes to pursue this project in order
to further its economic integration with Europe, adding that
"we will be able to reach Paris from Baku by train in just
BAKU 00000234 002 OF 002
three days."
--------------
REGIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS
--------------
5. (C) Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan is "dep in talks" to
bring Kazakhstan's oil into the BC pipeline and that the
personal chemistry between President Aliyev and President
Nazarbayev is good. He did not address the current state of
the negotiations. Mammadyarov also discussed gas issues in
detail, specifically mentioning northern Italy and Greece as
potential markets for Shah Deniz gas via the SCP pipeline,
but also noting that current EU competition regulations make
it difficult for a consortium like the Shah Deniz group to
sell gas in European markets. Hopefully, he said, this
situation can be rectified.
6. (C) Mammadyarov also discussed the possibility of bringing
Central Asian gas across the Caspian, through Azerbaijan and
Georgia, and onward to Ukraine and other markets in Central
Europe. The upcoming February 25 GUAM Summit in Tblisi will
provide a forum to discuss all these issues, he noted. He
mentioned the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan Trans-Caspian Pipeline
(TCP) in passing but did not discuss it in any detail.
--------------
REGIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
--------------
7. (C) Mammadyarov characterized Azerbaijan's relations with
Russia as "successful," noting for example that Russia joined
with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the trilateral agreement
delimiting the north Caspian. Mammadyarov said that
President Putin will visit Azerbaijan soon to help kick off
the "Year of Russia in Azerbaijan" program. Mammadyarov
noted the importance of Russian markets to Azerbaijan's
agricultural sector.
8. (C) Turning to Iran, Mammadyarov pointed out that "thirty
million" ethnic Azeris live in that country and that Iran
provides the only land connection between Nakhchivan and the
rest of Azerbaijan. When asked during the
question-and-answer session, Mammadyarov said that he
believes a peaceful solution is possible on the issue of
Iran's nuclear ambitions, if Iran's nuclear power needs are
developed under the eyes of the IAEA. Nuclear weapons are
another matter, he said. "We already have one nuclear power
on one of our borders, would we feel safer with another one?
I don't think so."
HARNISH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/SNEC FOR AMBASSADOR MANN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2016
TAGS: AM ENRG IR IS KZ PREL RU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI FM MEETS WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS
OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Classified By: Ambassador Reno L. Harnish, III, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
1. (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov met February 13 with leaders from the Conference
of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Mammadyarov characterized Azerbaijan's relations with the
United States as a "strategic partnership" and said that
Azerbaijan wants closer relations with Israel, although he
admitted that Azerbaijan's OIC membership would impose some
restrictions. He would not comment as to when Azerbaijan
would open an embassy in Israel. Mammadyarov blamed Armenia
for the lack of results from the Paris talks on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Yerevan refused to
compromise. Mammadyarov also discussed regional energy
projects in detail, including bringing Kazakhstan oil into
the BTC pipeline and exporting Shah Deniz gas to southern and
central Europe. Mammadyarov addressed relations with Russia
and Iran, noting the importance of Russian agricultural
markets and worries about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The
audience gave Mammadyarov a warm welcome as a proven friend
of the American Jewish community. END SUMMARY.
--------------
RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. AND WITH ISRAEL
--------------
2. (C) Speaking to a delegation of more than 70 leaders and
other participants from the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov
began by briefly reviewing the history of U.S.-Azerbaijan
relations, which he characterized as having moved from
cooperation in the energy sector to "strategic partnership"
on a wide variety of issues. Hopefully, he said, Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act would soon be "relegated to
history." Azerbaijan has made steady progress on democracy
and human rights, he argued. Mammadyarov also said that he
has a "comfortable" relationship with the Israeli Ambassador
in Baku and that Azerbaijan intends to build close relations
with Israel. When asked during the question-and-answer
session, Mammadyarov did not give a direct answer as to
whether Azerbaijan will open an Embassy in Israel in the near
future. Instead, he said that Azerbaijan is "moving in the
direction" of expanding its relations with Israel, sending
more and more delegations there and increasing economic ties
(NOTE: In a late meeting, President Aliyev said he expected a
breakthrough this year on the question of establishing an
Azerbaijan Trade Commission in Israel. END NOTE). However,
Mammadyarov also cited Azerbaijan's membership in the
Organization of the Islamic Conference, noting that this
places restrictions on Azerbaijan's behavior and that the OIC
has been supportive of Azerbaijan in the past.
-------------- -
ARMENIA AND THE CONFLICT OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH
-------------- -
3. (C) Mammadyarov discussed the recent Aliyev-Kocharian
meeting in Paris, going into some detail as to the background
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mammadyarov asserted that
a breakthrough had not been achieved in Paris primarily due
to what he characterized as Armenia taking a line of "no
compromise." According to Mammadyarov, the GOAJ had hoped
that Armenia would be willing to defer a determination of the
final status of N-K to the future and discuss withdrawing its
forces from the territories surrounding N-K proper. However,
Mammadyarov asserted, during the Paris talks the GOAM
rejected the concept of de-linking these two issues.
4. (C) Mammadyarov also briefly mentioned the concept of a
new rail link between Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Turkish
city of Kars and indicated that Azerbaijan would press ahead
with this project. The Foreign Minister said that a
feasibility study had been completed and the estimated cost
of the project is between USD 400-500 million. Mammadyarov
said that Azerbaijan wishes to pursue this project in order
to further its economic integration with Europe, adding that
"we will be able to reach Paris from Baku by train in just
BAKU 00000234 002 OF 002
three days."
--------------
REGIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS
--------------
5. (C) Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan is "dep in talks" to
bring Kazakhstan's oil into the BC pipeline and that the
personal chemistry between President Aliyev and President
Nazarbayev is good. He did not address the current state of
the negotiations. Mammadyarov also discussed gas issues in
detail, specifically mentioning northern Italy and Greece as
potential markets for Shah Deniz gas via the SCP pipeline,
but also noting that current EU competition regulations make
it difficult for a consortium like the Shah Deniz group to
sell gas in European markets. Hopefully, he said, this
situation can be rectified.
6. (C) Mammadyarov also discussed the possibility of bringing
Central Asian gas across the Caspian, through Azerbaijan and
Georgia, and onward to Ukraine and other markets in Central
Europe. The upcoming February 25 GUAM Summit in Tblisi will
provide a forum to discuss all these issues, he noted. He
mentioned the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan Trans-Caspian Pipeline
(TCP) in passing but did not discuss it in any detail.
--------------
REGIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
--------------
7. (C) Mammadyarov characterized Azerbaijan's relations with
Russia as "successful," noting for example that Russia joined
with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the trilateral agreement
delimiting the north Caspian. Mammadyarov said that
President Putin will visit Azerbaijan soon to help kick off
the "Year of Russia in Azerbaijan" program. Mammadyarov
noted the importance of Russian markets to Azerbaijan's
agricultural sector.
8. (C) Turning to Iran, Mammadyarov pointed out that "thirty
million" ethnic Azeris live in that country and that Iran
provides the only land connection between Nakhchivan and the
rest of Azerbaijan. When asked during the
question-and-answer session, Mammadyarov said that he
believes a peaceful solution is possible on the issue of
Iran's nuclear ambitions, if Iran's nuclear power needs are
developed under the eyes of the IAEA. Nuclear weapons are
another matter, he said. "We already have one nuclear power
on one of our borders, would we feel safer with another one?
I don't think so."
HARNISH