SCENESETTER FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY SAMPSON'S VISIT

UNCLAS BAKU 000688 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT PLEASE PASS TO COMMERCE DEPUTY SECRETARY DAVID SAMPSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PREL PGOV EFIN EPET ENRG AJ SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY SAMPSON'S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) We warmly welcome your upcoming visit to Baku and believe it will advance U.S. energy, commercial, and economic reform objectives. Since President Aliyev's successful visit to Washington in April 2006, we have been engaged in an intensive effort to elevate and strengthen the bilateral relationship. U.S. interests in Azerbaijan center around three key areas: regional security and the War on Terrorism; energy security; and promoting democracy through political and economic reform. Stronger commercial relations are key to ensure U.S. companies play an active role in Azerbaijan's economic development. Our interests depend on progress in all three areas, as our excellent, ongoing cooperation in security and energy require the long-term prosperity and stability that only democratic, market-oriented institutions can deliver. With its strategic location, enormous energy reserves and rapidly expanding economy, Azerbaijan is poised to experience an unprecedented market boom gives it significant potential as a regional economic leade. This growth also poses many political and economic policy challenges, which underscore the need for sustained reform. ENERGY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) With the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the South Caucasus Gas pipeline in 2006, Azerbaijan completed the first phase of energy development, emerging as a key producer and linchpin of the East-West energy corridor. Azerbaijan is poised to enter the second phase of its energy development, with large gas reserves in the Shah Deniz and Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields that could greatly advance energy security objectives for the South Caucasus and for Europe. Azerbaijan is committed to providing gas to Europe and is eager to explore prospects for new Trans-Caspian agreements that could bring gas from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan into the East-West corridor. The key next step is to secure a gas transit agreement with Turkey which will enable Azerbaijan to export gas to Greece. Azerbaijan also is exploring possibilities to join the Nabucco pipeline, but it is unlikely that Azerbaijan will have adequate volumes of gas production to meet current Nabucco timelines. The Caspian Oil and Gas Show will bring together key government and private sector officials at a very important time in the development of new energy projects. BILATERAL ECONOMIC ISSUES -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Your visit follows on the successful inaugural Economic Partnership Commission in February and comes at a critical time as we look to elevate the U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral economic dialogue. Drawing upon the President Aliyev's long-term vision for sustainable development and sound use of Azerbaijan's energy revenue, continued U.S. engagement is an important tool to help shape Azerbaijan's transition from a struggling post-Soviet state to a democratic, market-oriented regional leader that is a strong partner in Euro-Atlantic institutions. Key objectives for your visit include instilling with the GOAJ the need for a stable macroeconomic environment, stressing the importance of an open business environment, highlighting the benefits of World Trade Organization membership, and encouraging the GOAJ do more to combat corruption. ¶4. (SBU) Azerbaijan's rapid economic growth, the fastest in the world, and its expected USD 250 billion in energy revenues over the next decade, highlight the need for continued U.S. engagement to ensure Azerbaijan's successful sustainable economic development. The Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ),led by President Aliyev and his economic team of Finance Minister Sharifov, Economic Development Minister Babayev, National Bank Chairman Rustamov, and Oil Fund Executive Director Movsumov, is keen to secure the correct path for sustainable long-term economic development. We believe that continued, high-level engagement by the United States is needed to advance our objectives and particularly to encourage the reforms that are essential to true, long-term stability in this strategically important country. ECONOMIC CHALLENGES -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The GOAJ faces many economic and political challenges as it attempts to utilize and manage efficiently its energy wealth. The major revenue inflows begin in earnest in 2009 when the GOAJ should receive approximately USD 20 billion in energy revenues. The GOAJ's ability to absorb and appropriately manage this massive influx of revenue is limited by a very weak economic governance, including a fractured economic decision-making process, wide-spread corruption in all sectors, an opaque and monopolized business climate, weak rule of law, and a lack human capacity. While the GOAJ has taken some initiative to improve the economic situation, in other areas, such as its efforts to combat corruption and implement rule of law, still fall well short. MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In 2005 and 2006 Azerbaijan experienced rapid economic growth, with GDP growth exceeding more than 30 percent in both years. Local economic and financial experts expect GDP growth to exceed 30 percent again in 2007. The main engine behind the GDP growth remains the vibrant energy sector. Most economic observers expect inflation to reach 20 percent or more in 2007 as the economy continues to expand and the Government's January fuel price and utility tariff increases ripple through the economy. In 2006, the GOAJ tightly controlled the appreciation of the Azerbaijani manat, holding down prices at the expense of higher inflation. It is likely that the National Bank will resume its anti-inflation strategy in 2007, however, and allow the national currency to appreciate against the U.S. dollar. BUSINESS OPERATING ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Operating a legitimate business in Azerbaijan -- outside the transparent legal framework of the energy sector's Production Sharing Agreements -- is a challenging endeavor within a system stacked in favor of illegal operations. Many legal businesses in the non-energy sectors face official bureaucracy, lack of capacity, rule of law problems, and corruption that cloud the investment climate and create a difficult environment in which to do business. The Government of Azerbaijan recognizes that corruption is a major problem that could jeopardize the country's economic growth, as well as its social and political development. ¶8. (SBU) The GOAJ has recently taken some positive steps to improve the business environment and increase transparency, including the proposal to create a "one-stop-shop" for companies to register and operate in Azerbaijan. The GOAJ needs to follow-up on its efforts by implementing a series of measures that ensure the effective development of Azerbaijan's non-energy sector. An important step in integrating Azerbaijan into the world economy and sending a positive signal to investors is accession to the WTO, a goal strongly supported by the United States. Progress in Azerbaijan's WTO accession process will signal the country's desire to meet international standards and create a fair business climate. ¶9. (SBU) The agricultural sector continues to contract as more arable land remains untilled and rural agricultural workers come to the capital Baku looking for work. The Government of Azerbaijan recognizes that it must diversify its non-energy sectors and recently told visiting Foreign Agriculture Service General Sales Manager Kirk Miller that the agriculture sector is one of the government's top priorities and important for Azerbaijan's diversification, increased employment, and resolution of social and economic problems. ¶10. (SBU) While the GOAJ, in coordination with the international donor community, has attempted to spur economic growth in the rural areas, positive development has been limited. In the long-term, the agricultural sector will be key to Azerbaijan's economic and political stability. Unlike its Caspian Sea neighbor Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan's proven energy resources will most likely be depleted shortly after 2030 and the country urgently needs to develop the non-oil sector to ensure future growth. POTENTIAL SECTORS FOR U.S. BUSINESSES -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Outside of the energy sector, Azerbaijan represents a growing and largely untapped market for U.S. companies. Telecommunications and information technology are clearly promising sectors, essential for Azerbaijan to fulfill its goal of rapid development of the non-oil sectors of the economy. The GOAJ is preparing to launch Regional Innovation Zones in order to foster development of a high technology sector. The GOAJ is also planning to launch "special economic zones" where companies can operate duty and tax free, further promoting the expansion of the private sector. ¶12. (SBU) Agriculture is another promising sector, representing the country's second largest sector after oil and gas and its largest employer, accounting for more than 30 percent of the work force and about 12 percent of GDP. Rapid development of agribusiness is essential to creating employment opportunities and increasing family incomes in Azerbaijan, and is an excellent vehicle to ensure Azerbaijan's regions benefit from its newfound prosperity. Currently, small and medium-sized farms, ranging from one or two hectares to several hundred hectares produce nuts, fruits, vegetables, grain, dairy products, meat, and some poultry under labor-intensive conditions. We hope to build on the positive momentum generated by a recent U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Trade Mission and encourage new U.S. trade in pomegranates and hothouse flowers and plants, as well as irrigation exports. ¶13. (SBU) Construction is another promising area for increased U.S. exports. As GDP expands and incomes rise, the residential and commercial real estate market is growing rapidly. The medical equipment market also is likely to grow in coming years given Azerbaijan's plans to reform the health-care sector and modernize its medical infrastructure. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, reforms in the Azerbaijani health-care industry led to major restructuring in the public and private sectors. GOAJ COMMITTED BUT NEEDS U.S. ADVICE -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Azerbaijan is interested in hearing U.S. advice on how best to manage its economic transition and long-term sustainable development. Azerbaijani government officials need to hear U.S. advice and counsel on economic issues, on managing the macroeconomic environment, how to improve the business operating environment to spur more foreign direct investment and stress the importance of combating corruption. As in many post-Soviet countries, Azerbaijan lacks the experience necessary to manage its energy wealth and rapid growth. The government's efforts with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative are a positive step forward. Its transparent management of the funds in the State Oil Fund and its leadership in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative are important steps, a model for the world. The U.S. needs to support GOAJ efforts to reform the economic decision-making processes and transform Azerbaijan into an economically stable democracy. ¶15. (U) Your visit next week provides an excellent opportunity to advance the USG's agenda in Azerbaijan. We look forward to welcoming you. DERSE