AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT GIVES TOUR D'HORIZON, IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BAKU 000815 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV AJ TU ENRG SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT GIVES TOUR D'HORIZON, IS SATISFIED WITH COUNTRY'S SITUATION REF: A. A) STATE 87909 ¶B. B) BAKU 753 Classified By: CDA Don Lu, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a June 22 conversation with Ambassador Derse and Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) President Dr. Daniel Yergin, President Aliyev said that in general he was satisfied with the situation in Azerbaijan - "politically, economically and regionally." Domestically, Azerbaijan's efforts towards transparency and openness were negating the risks associated with drastically increased government revenue. Geopolitically, relations with Russia were "normal," and the threat from Iran was balanced to a degree by general Azerbaijani antipathy toward Iran. The changing domestic situation in Turkey was a "serious, but not urgent" concern, as events in this country could have repercussions in Azerbaijan. President Aliyev's biggest concern was Kosovo, and the implications Kosovo independence would have regionally. President Aliyev's vision for the next ten years in the energy sector was to bring Eastern Caspian energy from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan westward. Per ref A, President Aliyev has been notified of the letter from President Bush to President Putin. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On June 22 President Aliyev, accompanied by the Foreign Relations Department Chief Novruz Mammadov, met with Ambassador Derse, Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) President Dr. Daniel Yergin, and Georgetown Professor Dr. Angela Stent. The Significance of the BTC Pipeline -------------- ¶3. (C) President Aliyev said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline "changed everything," allowing Azerbaijan to actualize its independence and to enter the European and world markets, in addition to making the subsequent Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline possible. Building it would have been more difficult today because "Russia is no longer weak," as it was when BTC was being developed and its decision-making apparatus was multi-polar. Now, Russia's decision-making apparatus has been centralized into one person. ¶4. (C) Dr. Yergin mentioned the St. Petersburg informal CIS Summit and asked if Aliyev attended the related forum featuring a speech by Putin. Aliyev answered, "why should I bother to go to Putin's and Nazarbayev's presentations?" He said neither he nor the Ukraine nor the Georgian Presidents attended - "we are not his team," unlike the other heads of state "who could be seen on TV all trailing in Putin's wake." ¶5. (C) President Aliyev said that the BTC pipeline would soon be an international one, with Kazakh oil flowing through it, and that BTC would be able to move up to two million b/d to Ceyhan. The previous day KazMuniGas President Uzakbay Karabalin had led a delegation to Baku, to discuss implementing the Inter-Governmental Agreement and the possibility of extra Kazakh volumes to BTC. Aliyev said the movement of Kazakh oil through BTC "will happen," as the oil is owned by the energy companies, who are free to move it as they choose. Azerbaijan was ready to receive this oil, first by tanker, then when volumes are high enough to cost justify it, by pipeline. Standing Up to Russian Pressure -------------- ¶6. (C) Aliyev also said that the GOAJ is in negotiations with Ukraine and Poland regarding the Odessa-Brody pipeline. According to Aliyev, Ukraine used to change its position on this pipeline, but Yuschenko is committed to the project, which will give Caspian oil access to the Baltics. Aliyev said he talked to the Romanian President two days previously about the Costanza-Trieste Pipeline (aka Pan-European Oil) project. When asked about Russian reaction to these various initiatives, President Aliyev said that Russia realizes it would be "useless to talk to us" about foregoing this projects. Rather, Russia "bites at us" in media. In talks with the Russian President and Prime Minister, the GOAJ points out that this is GOAJ oil, with which it can do as it pleases. Aliyev said that Russia agrees, as they "have no stick" to hold over Azerbaijan's head. They had tried to do BAKU 00000815 002 OF 004 so last winter with Gazprom gas, but Azerbaijan stood up to them. ¶7. (C) President Aliyev disputed the Russian contention that last winter's gas price offered by Gazprom was not politically driven by listing the following prices offered to various countries last winter by Gazprom: Belarus - USD 100 per tcm; Armenia - USD 110/tcm; Ukraine - USD 130/tcm; Moldova - USD 170/tcm; Georgia and Azerbaijan - USD 235/tcm. Aliyev said with this high price Russia was seeking to punish Azerbaijan for helping Georgia, but had Azerbaijan not done so "the Georgian economy would have collapsed." "We are not greedy, and we are friends with Georgia," so Azerbaijan reduced domestic use of gas, cut oil exports to Novorossiysk and used this oil instead as feedstock for fuel oil, to be used in Azerbaijani power plants in lieu of gas. Aliyev said "it was a good incentive for us to invest in gas production". He pointed out that Azerbaijan provides 75 percent of the Georgian gas market. However, Russia's actions were ultimately self-defeating as it had lost a six bcm market, plus the confidence of many consumers. ¶8. (C) President Aliyev said that against the backdrop of fewer problems in its Russian relations, it seems that Turkey-related energy issues were coming to the fore. Stressing the importance of Azerbaijani gas entering Greece this year, Aliyev complained that Turkey was buying Shah Deniz gas from Azerbaijan at USD 120/tcm and then selling it to Greece at twice the price, which was "not fair." For Shah Deniz Stage Two gas, Azerbaijan needed "direct access to European markets." Aliyev said he would raise the issue of gas transit talks with the GOT President when they met in Turkey on June 25. The Politics of Russian Gas -------------- ¶9. (C) Dr. Yergin asked whether Europe views Azerbaijan as a significant gas source. President Aliyev said that the EU does and that some European countries do, but other European countries are still focused exclusively on Gazprom. In response to Yergin's question as to whether Gazprom views Azerbaijani gas as competition, Aliyev said that Russia provides approximately 150 bcm to Europe, with which Azerbaijan cannot compete. However, Gazprom sees Azerbaijani gas as a source of possible diversification for Europe, which it doesn't like. Aliyev said that Russia's gas policy was two-sided: for large European countries like Germany and France, Gazprom was a stable and reliable supplier; however for smaller countries like the Baltics, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Russia used its gas as a political weapon. In this vein, Azerbaijani gas "could support small European countries," providing "100 percent" of the gas market for small countries such as Greece and Bulgaria. ¶10. (C) Saying that the BTC pipeline was just a vision ten years ago, Yergin asked President Aliyev what his vision was for the next ten years. Aliyev said it was "Eastern Caspian gas," with Turkmen gas being the next major target. Shah Deniz has 1.3 trillion cubic meters, and Azerbaijan has enough gas to start Nabucco and TGI. With PSA extension, ACG peak production can be extended yielding even greater oil income revenues for Azerbaijan (in this regard, he said he was waiting for BP's proposal for PSA extension). But Eastern Caspian gas will "change the whole equation," and will give Turkmenistan real security. Turkmen gas would be easier to draw west than Kazakh oil and gas, due to the strong Kazakh-Russian relationship. "It is difficult to be a pioneer, but easy to join," and as such once Turkmen gas flows through Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan will have an easier time choosing to eschew Russian routes for Azerbaijani ones. Concern over Kosovo, Iran and Turkey -------------- ¶11. (C) Dr. Yergin asked President Aliyev what his greatest geopolitical concern was, to which Aliyev answered "Kosovo." If Kosovo got its independence, in addition to the implications it would have for N-K, a war could start in Georgia and "anything could happen - we must be ready." As for Iran, Aliyev said that while the international community is concerned about Iran, Iran is Azerbaijan's neighbor, and hence the GOAJ's concern is more pressing. Iran is "unpredictable" and it "doesn't listen." He downplayed the BAKU 00000815 003 OF 004 threat of increased Iranian influence in Azerbaijan, saying that "there has been antagonism between Iran and Azerbaijan since the mid-1990s." Iranian support of Armenia also weakens their hand in Azerbaijan. ¶12. (C) However, returning to Turkey, Aliyev repeated that "Turkey's future is unclear, and the situation in Turkey is a cause for concern." This problem was "serious, but not urgent" for Azerbaijan. Due to the similarities between the two countries, what happens in Turkey will be of major interest in Azerbaijan. Aliyev denied that there could be any "spillover effect" from Turkey, conceding however that "tendencies can start." Although Turkish economic integration into the global economy is inevitable, Turkish society seemed to be moving "in an opposite direction." "For us, Turkey used to be an example," but now there is more a risk of "contagion." However, President Aliyev concluded that "if we do our job properly, they (the Azerbaijani people) won't look at other options." ¶13. (C) On Turkish-EU relations, Aliyev said if Turkey had not "been so insistent" on joining the EU, its relations with European countries would have been better. By and large, European people don't want Turkey to become part of Europe. For us, the Turkish EU experience has been an instructive one, "allowing us not to repeat their mistakes." Managing Oil Revenues -------------- ¶14. (C) Dr. Yergin asked about how the GOAJ was preparing for the "wall of money" the GOAJ was starting to receive from energy income. President Aliyev said that there is now 16 percent inflation, but "many unfinished projects." The budget has quadrupled over the last four years. "People were waiting" for BTC completion, but now it is "hard to balance peoples' expectations with the risk of inflation." Azerbaijan was now measuring its status against European, not regional, standards of living, and as such there was room for improvement. All in all, Aliyev observed that Azerbaijan has been poor and that "it is nicer being rich, and right now we are in the middle." ¶15. (C) Responding to how Azerbaijan would avoid the "resource curse," Aliyev said that the GOAJ was using "openness and transparency," to include the State Oil Fund. Azerbaijan would even be getting an award in Vienna this month from the UN for its efforts in improving transparency - "even George Soros must be satisfied." Although there were no tensions about Azerbaijan's oil revenues due to this transparency, Aliyev said there was increased "government laziness," as officials now believe, "We have money." His focus now was to build the non-energy sector, to help generate "wealth and education." ¶16. (C) Summing up, Aliyev said that "in general, I am satisfied with the situation in Azerbaijan - politically, economically and regionally." The recent GUAM summit was a positive one; Azerbaijan-European relations were good; relations with Russia were "normal," and the situation with Iran "could be worse." There were no foreign policy problems. Azerbaijan's economic and energy policies were solid. There were improvements in the social situation. There were concerns in the judiciary, but he had recently enacted reforms relating to five regional courts, where he appointed new chairmen who were now selecting staff. Although corruption was a "serious problem," he was trying to reduce it via economic growth. Missile Defense -------------- ¶17. (C) Per Reftel request, on June 26 Foreign Minister Mammadyarov informed Ambassador Derse that he had told President Aliyev about the letter from President Bush to President Putin. According to FM Mammadyarov, President Aliyev thanked the USG for the notification and said he looked forward to hearing what develops. (Separate cable noting all the GOAJ officials we contacted.) Comment -------------- ¶18. (C) President Aliyev's comments on the regional situation BAKU 00000815 004 OF 004 track with his previous statements. His assessment of the greater relative risk of "contagion" from Turkish vice Iranian influence builds on comments made recently to a senior USG visitor (ref b),and reflects the ardently secular Azerbaijani Government's growing unease with the rise of political Islam in Turkey -- the country that Azerbaijan historically has viewed as its model. Aliyev's explicit reference to Kosovo independence as his major worry also reflects his apparent growing unease with the OSCE Minsk Group process (ref B). END COMMENT. LU