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.

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DISAPPOINTMENT IN PARIS
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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.

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AZERBAIJAN'S MODEL: "DIALOGUE BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS"
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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.

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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.

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COMMENT
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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