AZERBAIJAN: 2007 TIP REPORT DELIVERED

UNCLAS BAKU 000812 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP: MEGAN HALL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: 2007 TIP REPORT DELIVERED REF: STATE 78612 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) On June 20, Poloff delivered the 2007 TIP Report to Fakhraddin Ismayilov and Gulnara Asgarova, Human Rights Attaches for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Per reftel instructions, she highlighted U.S. concerns regarding Azerbaijan's efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly the need to open the long-awaited nationwide toll-free victims' assistance hotline, and the need to establish a nationwide victims' referral network. Ismayilov and Asgarova were receptive to all suggestions, and expressed their desire for the MFA to be more involved in Azerbaijan's anti-TIP efforts, currently dominated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Poloff left the report in English and Azerbaijani, and the reftel background language on the report, as a non-paper. ¶2. (SBU) Separately, the Ambassador delivered the report to Minister of Internal Affairs Ramil Usubov on June 22. She raised reftel concerns with the Minister, who was receptive to most suggestions. The Ambassador and the Minister discussed areas for further bilateral cooperation on TIP; we will report on the entire meeting septel. The Ambassador left the report in English and Azerbaijani, and the reftel background language on the report, as a non-paper. LU