AZERBAIJAN: READOUT ON MID-FEBRUARY NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000228

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: READOUT ON MID-FEBRUARY NATO
INTERNATIONAL STAFF MEETINGS


Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: According to a readout provided to resident
NATO Ambassadors of a visit to Azerbaijan by representatives
of the NATO international staff for the week of February 12,
2007, their outlook for Azerbaijan was much more positive
than previously. This would be reflected in their assessment
that would be completed in early May 2007. The NATO staff
will begin working with the Azerbaijani side to formulate the
next Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP),which is
valid for two years and was due to be updated this year.
There were also criticisms, mostly toward the Ministry of
Defense and for the GOAJ's lack of understanding that the
IPAP process should be a vehicle of reform. END SUMMARY.

NEW, MORE DEMANDING IPAP
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2. (C) The NATO staff told the Ambassadors that Azerbaijan's
new IPAP will need to be more demanding and will have to get
away from the general nature of the current IPAP. They hoped
that it would be a "national roadmap" for Azerbaijani
ministers. There still seems to be little understanding
amongst most ministers about what NATO means for Azerbaijan
and what role they have to play in the IPAP process, but
there is a sense among most of the relevant ministries that
it is important to push forward on this goal nonetheless.
The staff was somewhat disappointed however that the IPAP
process was not seen as a "reform vehicle" for Azerbaijan and
that there remains little ownership of the IPAP in the
government. They were also critical that the IPAP process
has not been integrated with other reform goals with other
international bodies, such as the Council of Europe.

SLIGHT CHANGE OF ATTITUDE AT MOD
--------------


3. The staff said that they noticed a distinct change in the
Ministry of Defense, and particularly with International
Relations director General Ramiz Najafov. Formerly, Najafov
had been a major obstructionist in implementing the military
side of Azerbaijan's IPAP goals, but during this visit he
seemed more flexible. The staff opined that this was the
result of dictates from above. Despite these positive steps,
there have been no moves toward democratic control of the
armed forces and the MoD told the staff not to expect
civilian control of the military before 2008. The staff
further complained that the entire IPAP process on the MoD
side is in the hands of a person who does not seem to have a
genuine desire to see closer relations between Azerbaijan and
NATO, i.e. Najafov.


4. (C) The staff praised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for
their public diplomacy efforts in regard to NATO. They also
said that the Ministry of National Security was planning to
send an MNS rep to NATO headquarters to meet the
"intelligence sharing" portion of the IPAP. As reported
SEPTEL, the MNS is in the final stages of negotiations with
NATO to open an anti-terrorism center in Azerbaijan.


5. (C) The staff informed the MoD that the time will soon
come when it will be inappropriate for the GOAJ to ask for
NATO financial assistance. They gave the example of
Bulgaria, which has a smaller state budget than Azerbaijan
but does not ask for any NATO financial assistance. The GOAJ
provided the staff with reasons as to why funding should
continue, most based on regional circumstances.


6. (C) The MoD, characteristically, continued to make
bellicose statements about Nagorno-Karabakh, threatening that
if the situation did not change that "other measures would
have to be considered." In regard to the CFE treaty, the
Azeris admitted that they may be over on "heavy equipment",
but that they would be back in line with CFE once the old
equipment was removed/destroyed. They were quick to point
out Armenian violations of CFE and the transfer of Russian
military equipment from Georgia to Armenia.


7. (C) The MoD has agreed to bring all of their military
forces to NATO standards. However, there still seems to be a
disconnect between the MoD's understanding of what a NATO
"standard" unit is. The MoD views this process as being far
along vis--vis the Army and will begin bringing the Navy and

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Air Force up to NATO standards. Najafov said that it was
likely that as a result of this that Azerbaijan would be able
to participate in more NATO operations. The staff reminded
the MoD that a unit does not meet "NATO standards" simply
because they say that they do.

SMALL, POSITIVE STEPS ON THE INTERAGENCY PROCESS
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8. (C) The GOAJ has set aside $1.5 million USD in the state
budget (earmarked at the Ministry of Finance) for NATO IPAP
issues. The money will be used for reform projects and to
foster an interagency process. The staff was pleased to see
this measure, but noted that this was only a fraction of the
funding that was needed.


9. (C) The staff noted that many of the IPAP deadlines have
slipped, most notably in regard to the National Security
Concept paper. It is difficult for the relevant ministries
to move forward reforming themselves and aligning themselves
with NATO without having this document available. The staff
noted that parliament in Azerbaijan was essentially
irrelevant and had little substantive role to play in the
implementing reform or the IPAP process. The staff will
encourage the GOAJ to make the next draft of the IPAP public.
DERSE