Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1546
2006-08-16 13:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR WOLFF'S MEETING WITH MINSK GROUP

Tags:  PREL PGOV UNGA AJ AM 
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VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1546 2281310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161310Z AUG 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0131
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0888
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0973
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 0107
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9852
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1647
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.

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