Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAKU374
2007-04-04 13:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJAN DENIES PRESS REPORTS THAT IRANIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO4518 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHKB #0374 0941344 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041344Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2696 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000374
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: PBTS PREL SNAR IR AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN DENIES PRESS REPORTS THAT IRANIAN
BORDER CROSSING CLOSED
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000374
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: PBTS PREL SNAR IR AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN DENIES PRESS REPORTS THAT IRANIAN
BORDER CROSSING CLOSED
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) According to Azerbaijani independent newspapers
Zerkalo and Ayna, Iran closed its main border crossing with
Azerbaijan on April 3. These reports claimed that Iranian
customs officials had closed the Astara border crossing
because "thousands" of Iranians were seeking to enter
Azerbaijan. When asked to comment, an Iranian Embassy
official in Baku reportedly told the Ayna journalist that the
border crossing was temporarily closed due to "bad weather
conditions."
2. (C) According to the Chairman of the Azerbaijani State
Customs Committee, Aydin Aliyev, the Astara border crossing
was never closed on April 3. In fact, Aliyev reported to
Embassy EXBS Advisor that 1.5 kilograms of heroin had been
seized at the Astara border crossing on April 3. During an
April 4 interview with ANS Television, Deputy Chairman of the
State Customs Committee, Ilham Mehdiyev, also reported that
the Astara border crossings was never closed on April 4.
Elchin Bashirov, the MFA AMERICA Desk Officer, told us April
4 that he had heard no indication in the MFA that the border
had actually been closed, and noted that the MFA would have
issued a statement if it had been closed.
3. (C) Separately, in an April 3 telcon with the Ambassador,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov stated that the MFA
was monitoring whether an increased number of Iranians were
leaving Iran for Azerbaijan and, if so, whether it was due to
increased international tensions with Iran or coincided with
the recent Novruz holidays. Mammadyarov reported that the
GOAJ was now monitoring the flow of Iranians seeking to enter
Azerbaijan and recording the number of vehicles crossing the
border each day. The Ambassador noted her intention to
address through media interviews this week erroneous press
reports that the US would attack Iran on April 6; Mammadyarov
noted the value of the USG publicly addressing rising
concerns in Azerbaijan, especially in light of the reports.
4. (C) Comment: As tensions between Iran and the
international community have heightened, so too has
speculation, often wild, in the Azerbaijani media. A number
of Azerbaijani newspapers carried stories that the US will
attack Iran "at 0400 on April 6." In such a heated
environment, what may simply have been prolonged delays at
the Astara border crossing associated with Novruz holiday
travel could easily have been misconstrued or manipulated.
We will continue to get the facts out publicly. End Comment.
DERSE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: PBTS PREL SNAR IR AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN DENIES PRESS REPORTS THAT IRANIAN
BORDER CROSSING CLOSED
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) According to Azerbaijani independent newspapers
Zerkalo and Ayna, Iran closed its main border crossing with
Azerbaijan on April 3. These reports claimed that Iranian
customs officials had closed the Astara border crossing
because "thousands" of Iranians were seeking to enter
Azerbaijan. When asked to comment, an Iranian Embassy
official in Baku reportedly told the Ayna journalist that the
border crossing was temporarily closed due to "bad weather
conditions."
2. (C) According to the Chairman of the Azerbaijani State
Customs Committee, Aydin Aliyev, the Astara border crossing
was never closed on April 3. In fact, Aliyev reported to
Embassy EXBS Advisor that 1.5 kilograms of heroin had been
seized at the Astara border crossing on April 3. During an
April 4 interview with ANS Television, Deputy Chairman of the
State Customs Committee, Ilham Mehdiyev, also reported that
the Astara border crossings was never closed on April 4.
Elchin Bashirov, the MFA AMERICA Desk Officer, told us April
4 that he had heard no indication in the MFA that the border
had actually been closed, and noted that the MFA would have
issued a statement if it had been closed.
3. (C) Separately, in an April 3 telcon with the Ambassador,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov stated that the MFA
was monitoring whether an increased number of Iranians were
leaving Iran for Azerbaijan and, if so, whether it was due to
increased international tensions with Iran or coincided with
the recent Novruz holidays. Mammadyarov reported that the
GOAJ was now monitoring the flow of Iranians seeking to enter
Azerbaijan and recording the number of vehicles crossing the
border each day. The Ambassador noted her intention to
address through media interviews this week erroneous press
reports that the US would attack Iran on April 6; Mammadyarov
noted the value of the USG publicly addressing rising
concerns in Azerbaijan, especially in light of the reports.
4. (C) Comment: As tensions between Iran and the
international community have heightened, so too has
speculation, often wild, in the Azerbaijani media. A number
of Azerbaijani newspapers carried stories that the US will
attack Iran "at 0400 on April 6." In such a heated
environment, what may simply have been prolonged delays at
the Astara border crossing associated with Novruz holiday
travel could easily have been misconstrued or manipulated.
We will continue to get the facts out publicly. End Comment.
DERSE