DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES IRANIAN-RUSSIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000249 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES IRANIAN-RUSSIAN COOPERATION WITH ASD RODMAN, DASD MACDOUGALL, AND DAS COULTER Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During a February 12 meeting with the Ambassador and a State-DOD delegation headed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Peter Rodman, SIPDIS Azerbaijani Minister of Defense General Safar Abiyev expressed concern that Russia and Iran were increasing their cooperation through links in Armenia and the Caspian. He said Azerbaijan sought "active cooperation with NATO up to full membership" but could not announce this goal at present. Abiyev complained about Iranian and Russian support for Armenia. Abiyev thanked the delegation for USG and DoD assistance to the Azerbaijani military and expressed a desire that this cooperation continue and be enhanced. He expressed concern that one day a waiver of 907 would not be granted and that cooperation between the United States and Azerbaijan would have to be curtailed. END SUMMARY. IRANIAN-RUSSIAN TIES -------------- ¶2. (C) During a February 12 meeting with the Ambassador, DATT and a delegation headed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Peter Rodman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense James MacDougall, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Michael Coulter and State Department Director for Iran Barbara Leaf, Azerbaijani Minister of Defense General Safar Abiyev expressed concern about what he characterized as an increased level of ship traffic in the Caspian between Russian and Iran. In his opening remarks, A/S Rodman mentioned the recent speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Munich as an important indicator of the Russian leader's strategic vision. Abiyev did not comment directly on the speech but talked at length about how unhelpful Russia has been in bringing peace, stability and democracy to the region. Abiyev said that Russia had provided Iran with an air defense system and that Iran was changing the locations of its air defense system every six months. He said that according to "our information" Russia is assisting Iran in installing this equipment. Finally he cited the increased number of high-level visits between Iranian and Russian officials. ¶3. (C) Citing Iran's intensification of military activities in 2007, Abiyev said that he was "not satisfied" with Iran's regional policy, and said that there was "no doubt" that Iran was trying to destabilize the Caspian Region, as they are trying to destabilize Afghanistan and Iraq. Abiyev then said that Iranian support for Armenia was also increasing. He said that Russia was planning to build/finance an oil refinery in Armenia, and that the only logical place for the oil that would be refined to come from would be Iran. REGIONAL SITUATION REMAINS TENSE -------------- ¶4. (C) Abiyev said that the situation in the Caspian remains complex, as Azerbaijan has not yet come to a demarcation agreement with Iran and Turkmenistan. He said that some of the regional tension was reduced when the Russian military closed their bases in Georgia, but the fact that Russian military equipment had been moved from Georgia to Armenia can potentially create further problems for Azerbaijan. Abiyev said that Georgia was a friend to Azerbaijan and that despite Azerbaijan's own economic difficulties, Azerbaijan still sold gas to Georgia when Russia refused. Abiyev described Armenia as being "fully governed by Russia" and said that Russia considered Armenia to be part of Russia, and that Armenia's economy was deeply integrated into Russia's economy. NATO COOPERATION -------------- ¶5. (C) Abiyev told the group that all of Azerbaijan's ground forces have been transformed to NATO standards, and that Azerbaijan would now begin working on the transformation of BAKU 00000249 002 OF 002 its Air Force and Navy to NATO standards. Abiyev was pleased with the level of cooperation with the United States and said that this was the most important part of Azerbaijan's bilateral relations with the United States. Abiyev cited over 200 NATO or U.S.- supported/funded programs in which over 1000 Azerbaijani officers have attended. Abiyev also said that he visited Turkey and had met his military counterparts as well as President Erdogan and that the Turks were interested in increasing their support for Azerbaijan. Abiyev said that Azerbaijan's cooperation with NATO had a goal in mind. He said that this goal "could not be announced, for certain reasons" at present, but that Azerbaijan sought "active cooperation with NATO up to full membership". He said that the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the only inhibitor of Azerbaijan moving even more quickly with NATO: "It is time for more serious, more active steps by the US in Minsk Group. Our cooperation with the US and NATO would be more open and more decisive in this case." SECTION 907 -------------- ¶6. (C) Abiyev expressed his concern about article 907 and worried that when President Bush leaves office the next president may not be as supportive of waiving 907. He expressed concern about the disparity of funding between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He expressed puzzlement about how the United States can support Armenia, which is also one of the main benefactors of Russian and Iranian aid and political support. ¶7. (C) A/S Rodman thanked Abiyev for Azerbaijan's continued commitment to the Global War on Terrorism through the commitment of Azerbaijani troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. Regarding Section 907, he emphasized that Azerbaijan can count on President Bush while he is in office, and that there is a growing bi-partisan awareness in Congress of the increasing threat posed by Russia and Iran. He appreciated the steps that Azerbaijan was taking to modernize their military and bring it up to NATO standards. On the Iran threat, A/S Rodman stated that U.S. policy on Iran is not meant to provoke, but to deter Iranian pressures. To that end, the U.S. has initiated an enhanced security dialogue with our Gulf Arab friends aimed at addressing the security challenges posed by Iran. DAS Coulter briefed the Azeri group about the USGs "Gulf Security Dialogue" and its associated six pillars. The April Pol-Mil talks present an opportunity to explore Azerbaiani interest in GSD further. ¶8. (U) This message has been cleared with A/S Rodman and DAS Coulter. DERSE