AMBASSADOR REVIEWS RANGE OF PARLIAMENTARY ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001446 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAID PBTS AJ SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR REVIEWS RANGE OF PARLIAMENTARY ISSUES WITH SPEAKER OGTAY ASADOV REF: A. BAKU 1126 ¶B. BAKU 1320 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ANNE E. DERSE PER 1.4(B,D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a November 21 meeting with the Ambassador, Speaker of Parliament Ogtay Asadov said that USAID's Parliamentary Assistance Project has so far been successful. The Ambassador urged Parliament to move quickly on draft new laws on money laundering and anti-terrorist finance, which the GOAJ had pledged to submit to Parliament in June 2007 during the February 2007 bilateral Economic Partnership Commission. She also urged Asadov to establish coordination with the American Chamber of Commerce in order to strengthen the legislation pertaining to Azerbaijan's business environment, which he agreed to do, and encouraged Asadov to ensure that Parliament played a constructive role laying the framework for a fair and free presidential election in 2008. Raising his usual concerns about "parity" in the United States' relationships with Azerbaijan and Armenia, Asadov said he was pleased that Azerbaijan and Armenia were moving closer to a solution. END SUMMARY. PARLIAMENTARY ASSISTANCE PROJECT -------------- ¶2. (C) On November 21, the Ambassador met with Speaker of Parliament Ogtay Asadov to introduce Petro Morgos, Chief of Party for DAI, the implementer of USAID's Parliamentary Assistance Project. She noted the important role an independent legislature plays in governance. The Ambassador thanked Asadov for recent positive developments in relations between Parliament's secretariat staff and the DAI project staff, and congratulated him on the successful trainings of assistants for the Members of Parliament (MPs). She said that she was pleased to have reached a constructive resolution regarding the provision of equipment for the constituency offices. The Ambassador noted that DAI was moving forward with a survey of Parliament's staff to determine their specific training needs. The Speaker, along with Parliamentary Chief of Staff Safa Mirzayev, agreed that the Parliamentary Assistance Project was going well, and noted that they looked forward to continuing such close cooperation. ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TERRORISM FINANCE -------------- ¶3. (C) The Ambassador passed Asadov copies of two letters she had sent to Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev, one 
offering U.S. views on the GOAJ's new anti-corruption plan (ref a),and one regarding Azerbaijan's efforts to draft new laws on money laundering and anti-terrorist finance. She noted that in February's Economic Partnership Conference, the GOAJ had undertaken to submit such drafts to Parliament by June, which had not happened. The Ambassador urged the Speaker to grant these drafts early attention once Parliament received them. Mirzayev noted that one bill included on the fall agenda covered, in part, anti-terrorist finance. He said it had been drafted by a working group within Parliament. The Ambassador offered to arrange a meeting between the Embassy's Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor and the working group, to which the Speaker was amenable. He added that the Embassy should also work with Parliament's Legal Policy and State Building Commission. COORDINATION WITH AMCHAM -------------- ¶4. (C) Noting the importance of economic reform to the bilateral relationship, the Ambassador urged the Speaker to coordinate with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham). She said that AmCham could share international best business practices with the GOAJ to help strengthen relevant legislation. Asadov agreed that a need to improve Azerbaijan's business environment remained, and said that Parliament was ready to cooperate with AmCham. He noted that contact with both the Economic Policy Commission and Parliament's Economic Department would be useful. The Ambassador and the Speaker agreed that AmCham President Maksud Mirzayev would contact Parliamentary Chief of Staff Safa Mirzayev to discuss the next steps. NAGORNO-KARABAKH -------------- ¶5. (C) Asadov said he was pleased that Azerbaijan and Armenia were moving towards a solution on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He noted disappointment, however, that the Armenian press had mistakenly portrayed Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis as being interested "only in Azerbaijan's oil." But, the Speaker said, that could not be the case; "I know Terry Davis personally." Asadov said that he pitied the Armenian people because they did not start the conflict, and they were burdened by a diaspora making decisions that were not in the best interests of the next generation of Armenians. He reiterated his belief that the key to a solution lies with Russia, not Armenia. ¶6. (C) Referencing the four UN Security Council Resolutions pertaining to the conflict, Asadov said that it was "time to move beyond parity" in the bilateral relationship. He said that many countries maintained a neutral position on Nagorno-Karabakh because they believed that such a conflict could never happen within their borders. However, Asadov continued, there are more than 1,400 ethnic conflicts worldwide; "it can happen anywhere." He concluded that claiming other countries do not have a vested interest in the conflict is like the parable of the king who led both his sons to believe he loved them the most. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS -------------- ¶7. (C) The Ambassador noted that she had been pleased to participate in the inaugural session of Parliament's fall session. Parliament, she said, has a great responsibility over the next year to lay the legislative framework for the October 2008 presidential election, which she hoped would be the "fairest and freest" in Azerbaijan's history. The Ambassador urged the Speaker to ensure that Parliament makes a positive impact on the electoral process by passing legislation reflecting the Venice Commission's recommendations on changes to the electoral code and the law on freedom of assembly. The Speaker replied that he was "hopeful and certain" that the presidential election would be transparent and democratic. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) The tone of the meeting was, as usual, amicable, and Asadov's extensive comments on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were predictable. While Parliament remains largely a rubber-stamp body (ref b),the Parliamentary Assistance Project has the potential to empower individual MPs to more effectively do their jobs. We are pleased with the project's progress to date, and will continue to engage with Parliament's leadership on the need for democratic reform. DERSE