AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT, SHEIKH UL ISLAM MEET WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000256 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/SNEC FOR AMBASSADOR MANN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR ECON KDEM KISL IS IR AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT, SHEIKH UL ISLAM MEET WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS REF: BAKU 234 Classified By: Ambassador Reno L. Harnish, III, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During his private session with the leadership of the visiting Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (COP) on February 13, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed disappointment with the outcome of his talks in Paris with President Kocharian over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and expressed hope that talks would continue. In the session with the entire 70-plus member delegation, Aliyev held up Azerbaijan as a model for how different religious groups could live together peacefully, contrasting this with extremism in the Islamic world and "events which prevent dialogue," such as the events surrounding the Prophet Mohammed cartoons. Sheikh Pashazade echoed these comments in a separate meeting, telling the delegation that Azerbaijan's religious leaders play a key role in preventing the politicization of religion. On democracy and human rights, Aliyev argued that political development in Azerbaijan is impossible without parallel economic development and asserted that the GOAJ is committed to both. The leaders of the Conference of Presidents viewed the visit as a great success, taking away a better understanding of Azerbaijan as a secular, tolerant nation that is an important strategic partner for the United States. END SUMMARY. -------------- DISAPPOINTMENT IN PARIS -------------- ¶2. (C) During their February 9-13 visit to Azerbaijan, the 70-plus member delegation of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations met February 13 with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. This meeting immediately followed one with the Foreign Minister (reftel). In his private session with the COP leadership and Ambassador, President Aliyev said he was disappointed by his meetings in Paris with President Kocharian. Aliyev claimed that that Kocharian had done little but say "no" to proposals. President Aliyev said that he wants the dialogue to continue because Armenia and Azerbaijan must find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and that he hoped to discuss the talks with the Secretary by telephone. -------------- -------------- AZERBAIJAN'S MODEL: "DIALOGUE BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS" -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) In the general meeting with the COP membership, Aliyev characterized relations with the United States as relations between "allies cooperating in various fields." President Aliyev also said that Azerbaijan's ties with Israel will continue to expand, although he did not address the issue of opening an embassy there. Aliyev several times articulated his vision of Azerbaijan as a multi-confessional country that could be a model for others, saying that tolerance and cooperation between different communities is "normal life" in Azerbaijan. This characteristic had helped Azerbaijan as a country during the difficult years surrounding the restoration of independence in 1991, he said. Several times during the meeting he returned to the phrase "dialogue between civilizations." ¶4. (C) One delegation member asked about the recent controversy over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, contrasting the violence in other countries with the peaceful expression of disapproval in Azerbaijan. Aliyev noted that the entire affair "instead of continuing dialogue was an event that prevented dialogue." Aliyev said that he feels the governments of Denmark and the other Western countries that printed the cartoons should have apologized for giving offense. At the same time, Aliyev said that the violence of the protestors is "unacceptable." Those offended by the cartoons should express their feelings in nonviolent ways, he said. BAKU 00000256 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Another delegation member expressed dismay about President Putin's decision to receive Hamas representatives in Moscow, given that organization's stance towards Israel. Aliyev did not engage the issue directly but noted that extremism is a dangerous tendency and one that has to be taken seriously. After 9/11, he noted, "no country can think itself safe." When another delegation member asked about recent extremist statements by Iran's president, Aliyev said such statements are an example of the security environment where Azerbaijan is located -- "in every direction there are conflicts." ¶6. (SBU) Sheikh ul Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, head of the Caucasus Muslim Board and senior Muslim religious figure in Azerbaijan, echoed these sentiments in a separate February 13 meeting with the delegation, describing Azerbaijan as a tolerant nation with a tradition of coexistence. Azerbaijan's religious leaders, he said, believe they must play a leading role in preventing the politicization of religion and must denounce insults to any religion. The Sheikh was troubled by the violent reactions to the Prophet Muhammad cartoons in other countries and noted that the Caucasus Muslim Board's statement on the cartoons had called unambiguously for a peaceful resolution of the problem. The Sheikh noted that "neighboring states" (e.g., Iran) have an interest in creating conflict among religions and try to influence events in Azerbaijan. Thanks to their strong tradition of tolerance, however, the Azerbaijani people resist this influence. In response to a question, the Sheikh also said the Azerbaijani people were pleased by his decision to donate blood on the Shi'a holiday of Ashura, adding that it was more productive to share rather than shed blood. -------------- DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN -------------- ¶7. (C) When asked about the development of political rights and civil rights in Azerbaijan, Aliyev reviewed the instability surrounding Azerbaijan's early years after the restoration of independence in 1991, and noted that political development cannot take place absent economic development. He noted that the GOAJ is committed to economic development, citing that the percentage of the population below the poverty line has declined to 29 percent from a high of 49 percent in the early 1990s. He also noted that Azerbaijan currently has the highest GDP growth rate in the world. Aliyev said that Azerbaijan has obligations to the Council of Europe on civil and political rights that it is committed to implementing. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) The Conference of Presidents overwhelmingly viewed this trip as a success, telling Ambassador and emboffs that they took away a much better understanding of Azerbaijan as a secular, tolerant nation that is an important strategic partner for the United States. The Sheikh's message of tolerance resounded particularly well with the group, and several delegation members commented that they never expected such a strong message of coexistence to from the leader of a Shi'a community in a state bordering Iran. The group clearly saw Azerbaijan as an important partner with whom to work in the ongoing efforts of the United States to promote tolerance and the spread of moderate Islam. HARNISH