AMBASSADOR WOLFF'S MEETING WITH MINSK GROUP

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001546 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA AJ AM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WOLFF'S MEETING WITH MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ON AZERI DRAFT RESOLUTION REF: STATE 132341 Sensitive But Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Minsk Group Co-chair reps met with Acting General Assembly President August 14 to discuss the Azerbaijani draft resolution regarding the fires that have been raging since June in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ambassador Wolff delivered reftel points, which were endorsed by all. The participants in the meeting agreed to inform the Azeri mission of the group,s views. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) U.S., Russian, and French Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group met at the request of the Malaysian PermRep Hamidon Ali, in his capacity as acting PGA to discuss Azerbaijan,s request to present their draft resolution on the fires in Nagorno-Karaback to the General Assembly for adoption. Ali and Russian DPR Shcherbak agreed with the U.S. reaction presented by Amb. Wolff (reftel). Acting PGA President Ali, who was clearly looking for the Minsk Group,s cover in avoiding bringing this issue to the GA, underscored that drafting of the resolution must not proceed until Armenia is consulted. ¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Wolff noted that in his August 4 meeting with Azeri PermRep Yashar Aliyev, Aliyev reiterated the Azeri position that they are willing to cooperate with Armenia under the leadership of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to end the environmental crisis with a view to an eventual comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to Deputy PGA Chef de Cabinet Enestrom, the Azeri Foreign Minister, while visiting Stockholm earlier in the year, delivered the same message to PGA Eliasson. However, all present agreed that these messages delivered by the Azeri government are not reflected in the aggressive and accusatory language of the resolution. Enestrom subsequently proposed that the Minsk Group co-chairs convey this view again directly with the Azeri mission to the UN and also work to convince the Azeris not to bring the issue before the Plenary. Amb. Wolff noted that Washington had already done so. ¶4. (SBU) After affirming that the Russian position corresponds with the U.S.,s, Shcherbak stressed that the OSCE is the optimal forum for handling this conflict and observed that the OSCE finding mission had determined that the fires likely are a natural phenomenon. Shcherbak further noted that Azerbaijan has already called on UNEP to help stop the fires and recommended a coordinated response by the Co-chairs to the draft resolution; Russia is already planning a joint demarche in Baku, which would include all the Co-chair countries. ¶5. (SBU) In a separate development, Sherback called Amb. Wolff August 15 to report that the Azeri PermRep was still intent on pursuing a resolution. He asked &on instructions8 that the U.S. also intercede with the Azeri Mission to prevent this unhelpful action. Amb. Wolff agreed to communicate U.S. views again directly to the Azeri PermRep. ¶6. (SBU) In a subsequent phone call with Azeri PermRep Aliyev, Amb. Wolff summarized the consensus view coming out of the meeting called by the Acting PGA. Aliyev was irritated that the matter had been discussed in the PGA,s office without him. He said he had been expecting feedback from the Russians and understood from his conversation with EUR DAS Bryza that we would be working with his Mission on improving the text. Moreover, his instructions were unambiguous that he should inscribe this matter on the GA Plenary agenda for debate. Amb. Wolff said we remained supportive of a constructive, consensual approach, and would not endorse an initiative that cut across our efforts in the Minsk Group and the OSCE. ¶7. (SBU) Action Request: Aliyev seems intent on pursuing this matter in the GA, with or without a resolution ) and is expecting additional input from us on this initiative. We see such an effort resulting in a divisive exercise with Armenia, and possibly among Minsk Group co-chairs. We recommend that this matter be addressed in Baku with the Azeri government and would welcome any additional guidance with which to respond to Aliyev,s expectation that USUN is prepared to negotiate their draft resolution in NY. BOLTON