ACTION REQUEST: REVIEW OF AZERBAIJAN'S MILITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001407 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS MARR AJ SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: REVIEW OF AZERBAIJAN'S MILITARY DOCTRINE Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. ¶2. (SBU) Embassy requests the Department review Azerbaijan's draft military doctrine to see if there is any language -- particularly with respect to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict -- that could be objectionable. The draft military doctrine, developed as part of Azerbaijan,s first NATO IPAP, currently is being reviewed by a GOAJ interagency working group. Several western security advisors from the UK, Turkey, and Germany are providing the GOAJ with input on the draft. Contrary to public statements by First Deputy Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov, the MFA confirmed that the document is not yet ready for approval by Parliament. However, after the document is approved by the interagency working group, the documents will be sent to Parliament and then to President Aliyev for approval. After President Aliyev approves the document, it will be made public. The MFA believes that the military doctrine will be sent to the parliament for consideration in the spring 2008 session. ¶3. (C) The Embassy has reviewed the draft military doctrine and does not have any objections to the document. We note, however, that the document contains strongly worded language regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, including language that the GOAJ could use to defend a decision to use military force to retake Nagorno Karabakh and the occupied territories. This language does not differ from previously stated Azerbaijani public policy but, given the USG,s role in providing informal advice and feedback to the GOAJ as it drafts this new doctrine, we seek the Department,s guidance on the appropriateness of this NK language in the military doctrine. If the document contains counterproductive language, we need to raise our concerns with the GOAJ well before the document becomes public. ¶4. (SBU) Action Request: The Embassy has emailed the draft military doctrine to EUR/CARC and requests that EUR/CARC send the draft to all offices with an interest in Azerbaijan,s NATO reform process and to coordinate a response we can share with the GOAJ. We also ask that EUR/CARC,s conflict advisor review the relevant NK language in the draft. DERSE