AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VAGIF SADIKOV

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000535 SIPDIS SIPDIS P FOR DAVID BAME AND HERRO MUSTAFA; FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KPAL IR AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VAGIF SADIKOV ON OIC ISSUES REF: A. 06 BAKU 1715 ¶B. 06 STATE 158801 ¶C. 06 STATE 171576 ¶D. 06 JEDDAH 695 Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Visiting EUR Senior Advisor Farah Pandith met with Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikov April 27 to discuss Azerbaijan's vision for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)'s Foreign Ministers' Conference. Echoing what he told the Ambassador late last year, Sadikov highlighted the GOAJ's goal of breathing new life into the OIC through a series of conferences and meetings, such as the recent OIC Conference on the Role of the Media in the Development of Tolerance and Mutual Understanding. Sadikov acknowledged that OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu is a dynamic leader, but said there are still many "lazy" members within the OIC. The GOAJ hopes to create an OIC law enforcement forum to address counterterrorism and drug trafficking issues. Sadikov remarked that despite Iran's radical positions, many OIC members sympathize with Iran because it is standing up to the U.S. and because of larger frustrations with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikov shared his perspectives on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and Azerbaijan's role in the OIC with visiting EUR Senior Advisor Farah Pandith on the sidelines of an OIC conference on the Role of Media in the Development of Tolerance and Mutual Understanding. (Note: Azerbaijan has chaired the OIC's Foreign Ministerial Conference since June ¶2006. The year-long chairmanship will expire this summer. Ref a relays his comments late last year to the Ambassador.) Sadikov highlighted Azerbaijan's strategy toward the organization, developments within the OIC, and opportunities for the US to engage with the OIC. Azerbaijan Favors OIC Reform -------------- ¶3. (C) The GOAJ seeks to reform the OIC, but Sadikov cautioned that Baku needs to "go slowly" in this process because some OIC members are not interested in change. Sadikov referred to the conference as a "stepping stone" and part of the GOAJ's broader effort to "breathe new life" into and gradually reform the OIC. Sadikov underscored that the OIC had never undertaken such a conference and many conference attendees had asked the GOAJ to host the conference on an annual and biannual basis. The GOAJ will pursue a "go slow" approach by pushing for similar conferences, meetings, and seminars. ¶4. (C) Azerbaijan is "more than interested" in playing a bridging role between the US and the Arab world, according to Sadikov. He suggested that the best way for the US to work with the OIC would be through multilateral channels. Sadikov observed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the key problematic issue and that resuming negotiations on this issue will pave the way for progress on a range of issues between the US and the Arab world. ¶5. (C) Commenting on the GOAJ's interest in the OIC, Sadikov said the OIC backs the Azerbaijani position on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the GOAJ sees the OIC as an "instrument for a decision on the NK issue." Law Enforcement Initiative -------------- ¶6. (C) Sadikov said the GOAJ wants to create a law enforcement track within the OIC, which specifically addresses counterterrorism and drug trafficking issues. Commenting on the OIC's internal law enforcement challenges, Sadikov remarked that "we need to clean our own house." Sadikov was hopeful the OIC would host a conference on law enforcement issues in Baku this autumn. Sadikov noted that if Azerbaijan succeeds in putting law enforcement on the OIC's agenda, there is the possibility for increased OIC cooperation with the UN, EU, and other multilateral bodies. Internal OIC Dynamics -------------- ¶7. (C) Sadikov said OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu is a dynamic leader, who can "breathe new life" into the OIC "with help." Sadikov commented that the OIC formerly was a BAKU 00000535 002 OF 002 "sleepy" organization, but Ihsanoglu knows how to "whip" people into shape. Sadikov said there are three groups within the OIC -- countries from the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Asia -- and that it is often difficult to achieve consensus on many issues. Sadikov mentioned that not all OIC members are "active." He noted that some countries -- particularly Arab members -- are "lazy." ¶8. (C) Expanding on internal OIC processes, Sadikov said the OIC has ambassadors in Paris, Brussels, and Vienna, who meet regularly to coordinate their positions. The OIC also has a group in Washington; Sadikov suggested that this group could be a channel for the USG to work alongside the OIC. Iran's Radicalism Bolstering its OIC Position -------------- ¶9. (C) Sadikov said Iran is not in danger of isolation within the OIC. Many of Iran's OIC proposals are extremist, however. Sadikov observed that Iran's proposals within the OIC are getting significantly more attention than they were receiving two years ago. While some OIC members are concerned about Iran's nuclear programs, many members are sympathetic with Iran because it is a "symbol" of a smaller country bravely standing up to the United States. Sadikov noted that public opinion in Egypt, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia has a favorable view of Iran because it is not caving in to US pressure. Sadikov added that some OIC members also are sympathetic with Iran out of a broader frustration with the US over the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Russia Increasingly Active in OIC -------------- ¶10. (C) Sadikov said Russia is "taking stronger steps to be more active" in the OIC. As an example, Sadikov claimed the OIC has not focused on the situation in Chechnya because of "hidden Russian influence." Limited OIC Interest on European Muslims -------------- ¶11. (C) In response to Pandith's question about whether the OIC is concerned with Muslim communities in Europe, Sadikov said the OIC is not doing much for European Muslims because "its internal house is not in order." Sadikov then focused on the Azerbaijani diaspora in Europe. Sadikov cited Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, and Russia as key European states with large Azerbaijani populations. According to Sadikov, the GOAJ is providing cultural materials for these Azerbaijanis. Comment -------------- ¶12. (C) We welcome the GOAJ's vision for promoting reform and tolerance with the OIC. The GOAJ's vision tracks with U/S Burn's dialogue with OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu on promoting interfaith dialogue and increased interaction between the U.S. and the OIC (reftels B - D). The GOAJ's role in hosting the conference and its chairmanship of the Foreign Ministers' conference also are driven by Azerbaijan's desire to showcase its image as a wealthy, modernizing Muslim state and the "multivector" nature of its foreign policy. We again urge the Department to consider how we can more actively engage this tolerant, secular, pro-Western Muslim country on our OIC agenda. ¶13. (U) Pandith did not have the opportunity to review this message. DERSE