AZERBAIJANI VIEWS ON AND IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000642 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, NEA/IR AND ISN/CATR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017 TAGS: PREL PARM ETTC UNSC IR AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI VIEWS ON AND IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1747 REF: A. STATE 67642 ¶B. BAKU 366 Classified By: A/DCM Joan Polaschik per 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request; see para 5. ¶2. (C) Acting DCM delivered ref a demarche in a May 18 meeting with Qalib Israfilov, Director of the MFA's International Security Affairs Department. Israfilov thanked A/DCM for sharing the USG's views on arms and related materiel, and noted that he believes the targeted sanctions included in UNSCRs 1737 and 1747 will be more effective in addressing proliferation concerns than the more broad-based US sanctions regime. Israfilov said that because of Azerbaijan's close proximity to Iran, it has a strong interest in "keeping the situation there under control." However, Israfilov continued, Azerbaijan also has a practical need to maintain good working relations with neighboring Iran. He noted that Azerbaijan and Iran have a military cooperation agreement, and that Iranian President Ahmadinejad is scheduled to visit Baku this summer. ¶3. (C) Israfilov said the GOAJ has studied its obligations under UNSCRS 1737 and 1747, and had translated both resolutions into Azerbaijani and shared them with the inter-agency working group it has created to implement the two resolutions. (According to Israfilov, the working group includes all GOAJ agencies responsible for monitoring cross-border flows, including the State Border Service, Customs Committee, and Ministry of National Security.) Israfilov said the working group has met twice, and is trying to clarify the impact of UNSCR 1747 on Azerbaijan's economic relationship with Iran. He also said the working group was preparing Azerbaijan's report on UNSCR 1747 implementation and planned to submit it in time for the May 24 deadline. ¶4. (C) Israfilov said the working group has a few concerns about the resolutions. The group is concerned about the inclusion of dual-use items in the resolutions, as many of these prohibited dual-use items regularly transit Azerbaijan en route to Iran. Azerbaijan's State Border Service also has questions about the individuals named in the two resolutions, and says that the information provided is not sufficient to prevent them from traveling through Azerbaijan. The Border Service wants to know whether the US could provide additional information, such as passport numbers, that would enable it to better enforce the UNSCRs. Israfilov said Azerbaijan plans to address "obstacles to implementation" of the UNSCRS at the upcoming US-Azerbaijan security consultations, scheduled for July. ¶5. (C) Comment and Action Request: Israfilov's comments on Azerbaijan's implementation of UNSCR 1747 build upon and expands what his department had previously shared with us on implementation of UNSCR 1737 and 1747 (ref b). Although Azerbaijan clearly is concerned about the impact on UN sanctions on its relationship with its larger and unpredictable neighbor, it appears to be looking for concrete ways to enforce the two sanctions regimes. We find it encouraging that the GOAJ is looking at ways to prevent known Iranian proliferators from entering Azerbaijan and, if possible, would like to be responsive to the MFA's request for more information on the individuals listed in the two UNSCRs. The Department's guidance is requested. LU