DRL A/S LOWENKRON'S DECEMBER 18 MEETING WITH FM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000085

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL HUM KDEM
SUBJECT: DRL A/S LOWENKRON'S DECEMBER 18 MEETING WITH FM
MAMMADYAROV


Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for Reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a December 18 meeting with visiting DRL
A/S Lowenkron and the Ambassador, FM Mammadyarov said that
Azerbaijan was addressing many of the problems that stood in
the way of its becoming a secular, developed democracy,
including corruption, rule of law, rural unemployment, and
access to basic education. He said that although the
government was "fighting every hour, every day," toward this
end, the effort would be a "generational one," and that what
was most important was that Azerbaijan make "careful,
irreversible" progress. With regard to freedom of the media
and assembly, he said that the government needed a "two-way
approach" in which journalists and the political opposition
had to act responsibly. The meeting was interrupted by a
summons to the Presidential Apparat where the discussion
continued with President Aliyev (septel). END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On December 18 visiting Assistant Secretary for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Barry Lowenkron and the
Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Mammadyarov. Also
present were DRL/AE Deputy Director Lisa Heller, DRL/AE
Foreign Affairs Officer Wendy Silverman, and EconOff
notetaker.


3. (C) A/S Lowenkron told FM Mammadyarov that he was glad to
be in Azerbaijan, and that he had hoped to visit sooner after
President Aliyev's historic visit to Washington earlier that
year. He said that although his trip had been delayed, he
hoped to be a regular visitor to Baku.


4. (C) FM Mammadyarov welcomed A/S Lowenkron, noting that his
visit was important, symbolizing one of the 'three pillars'
of the bilateral relationship. Mammadyarov said that the
GOAJ wanted to expand its cooperation with the USG and
enhance its integration into the European and Euroatlantic
community. Azerbaijan was ready to take the next step, with
Mammadyarov saying that the GOAJ now "had the skeleton" for
democracy, and "all it needed was more muscles." He said
that the GOAJ was quite happy with President Bush's
statements during the credentialing ceremony of the new
Azerbaijan Ambassador to the US.


5. (C) A/S Lowenkron said that in discussing the state of
various countries with Secretary Rice, she never uses the
terms "bad" or "good," but instead inquires about the
"trajectories" of these countries. In judging the
trajectories, she uses a three-pronged approach, focusing on
electoral issues, governance issues and civil society. A/S
Lowenkron then asked FM Mammadyarov how the USG can best help
the GOAJ to optimize its trajectory, and how it can help the
GOAJ work toward actualizing President Aliyev's vision for
Azerbaijan that he laid out when he visited Washington.


6. (C) FM Mammadyarov said that President Aliyev's visit to
the US, and other high-level bilateral visits, indicate that
Azerbaijan is on the path towards becoming a politically and
economically developed, secular democracy. However,
Azerbaijan, with its legacy of a Soviet, 'command economy,'
does not have an historical legacy that facilitates this type
of development, and the government needs to "change the
'mentality' of the people" so that they can understand how
western democracies function. The conflict with Armenia
also had an effect on the initial aspects of Azerbaijan's
movements in this direction.


7. (C) FM Mammadyarov said that he knows that the USG
understands that the GOAJ needs to implement these changes
"in an evolutionary manner." The Council of Europe and the
USG are helping fashion the requisite legal infrastructure,
but implementation has to be done "carefully and correctly."
Changing laws is one matter; but "implementation is another
story. Changing psychology is different, and much harder."
As such, President Aliyev wants to use the GOAJ's increased
revenue to invest in education, because democracy-building is
a "generational process." In this regard, in 2005 the GOAJ
joined the Council of Europe's "Bologna Process."


8. (C) FM Mammadyarov said that President Aliyev wishes to
repair and build new schools, so that Azerbaijani youth feel
that they are living in "a new state." He has also tasked
the Council of Ministers to "fully computerize" Azerbaijan's
4,500 schools, with full access to the Internet - "without
computers you cannot think of a well-established society."
New textbooks are also being written, although this too will
take time. The GOAJ will also spend significant resources in

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social protection (i.e. social insurance). "The State will
protect its citizens," FM Mammadyarov stated.


9. (C) FM Mammadyarov said that this state protection would
extend to Azerbaijan's IDPs and refugees, although he said
that with a population of 8 million, absorbing one million
refugees and approximately 760 thousand IDPs is impossible.
Mammadyarov added that the GOAJ would focus on getting rid of
the 'tent camps,' as it did not want the children growing in
them to "become like Palestinians." To this end, the GOAJ
was initiating a mobile housing program for its refugees and
IDPs, "so that they can take their belongings back with
them," when they can return to their homes. FM Mammadyarov
also said that since over 50 percent of Azerbaijanis lived in
rural areas, the GOAJ was also focusing on the agricultural
sector, to include agro-leasing and fertilizer provision.


10. (C) FM Mammadyarov acknowledged the challenges ahead.
Concerning corruption, FM Mammadyarov said that the GOAJ knew
that this was a serious challenge, although there was much
public misunderstanding concerning this issue. He said the
government knew it must address this as well as rule-of-law
issues. Corruption was present in every society, including
the US, as evidenced by the Enron case. What is most
important is that the GOAJ recognizes the problem and is
moving to address it. The GOAJ would enact reforms in this
regard "not to please anyone, but because we want to." It
would be wrong to set a time-table for these reforms,
Mammadyarov said. "What is important is that we are
fighting, every hour, every day," and that the process
continues, step by step in a careful, irreversible manner.
There would be "more ups than downs," and FM Mammadyarov said
he was "excited" about Azerbaijan's future.


11. (C) A/S Lowenkron agreed democracy building is a long
term process, but efforts could not be deferred. Although
there is no "one size fits all blueprint," values were
universal. He acknowledged that Azerbaijan's efforts would
be "multi-generational," and affirmed that civic education
and controlling corruption would be key factors.


12. (C) Concerning media freedom, FM Mammadyarov said that
Azerbaijani journalists needed more and better training, to
include training in journalistic ethics. The media has to be
responsible. A/S Lowenkron pointed out that the media has to
be allowed to grow, "warts and all." He also pointed out
that freedom of assembly was another key element of
Azerbaijan's movement towards democracy. FM Mammadyarov
agreed, but pointed out that those who assemble must behave
responsibly, and not seek to "shake the country." Calling
for a two-way approach, FM Mammadyarov said that "the
opposition has to behave like grownups," and that both the
government and the opposition need to be educated. He added
that the GOAJ was also addressing this issue. When A/S
Lowenkron noted that President's call for a dialogue with the
opposition, FM Mammadyarov replied that the President's
vision was of an opposition that conducted itself in a
civilized manner, not by hunger strikes.


13. (C) COMMENT: A/S Lowenkron's meeting with FM
Mammadyarov was interrupted by a summons from the
Presidential Apparat for both A/S Lowenkron and FM
Mammadyarov. Many of the themes discussed in this meeting
also were sounded in the meeting with the President (septel).
END COMMENT.


14. (U) A/S Lowenkron cleared this message.
DERSE