CODEL TIERNEY'S JULY 3 MEETING WITH FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000858

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS ECON AJ IR RU
SUBJECT: CODEL TIERNEY'S JULY 3 MEETING WITH FOREIGN
MINISTER MAMMADYAROV

REF: BAKU 836

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES DONALD LU PER REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a relaxed July 3 meeting with
Representative John Tierney, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said he recognized the importance of improving
Azerbaijan's image in the U.S. Congress and, as President
Aliyev did in an earlier meeting with the CODEL, requested
additional visits by other U.S. congressmen. On the Nagorno
Karabakh (NK) conflict, Mammadyarov said that the Armenian
government needs to understand that the current situation
cannot go on forever and that maintaining good relations with
its neighbors was important. Mammadyarov was optimistic
about resolving the conflict in the long-term, adding that
Armenia "cannot take the land and run." Mammadyarov told
Tierney that democratic development in Azerbaijan was a
long-term process that cannot be rushed. Stating that
Azerbaijan's security depends on the United States,
Mammadyarov said that Russia's Gabala proposal was good for
Azerbaijan as it put the country "on the map." Mammadyarov
told Tierney that it is important for the GOAJ that Russia
and the U.S. work together, adding that cooperation at Gabala
would be Azerbaijan's contribution to non-proliferation
issues. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Congressman John Tierney, accompanied by the
Ambassador, met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov July 3 and discussed U.S.-Azerbaijan relations,
relations with Armenia, NK deliberations, and regional
issues. Foreign Minister Mammadyarov welcomed Congressman
Tierney's visit to Azerbaijan and recognized the importance
of improving Azerbaijan's image in the U.S. Congress.
Mammadyarov stressed the importance of Tierney's visit to
Baku and requested additional visits by other U.S.
Congressmen to Azerbaijan.

U.S.-AZERBAIJAN RELATIONS
--------------


3. (C) Tierney acknowledged that his trip had been
educational and that there is a lack of knowledge about
Azerbaijan in Congress. Tierney highlighted that the U.S. is
a friend of both Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that these
relationships are not mutually exclusive. Both Mammadyarov
and Tierney agreed that U.S.-Azerbaijan relations were moving
in the right direction, and that resolution of the
Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict was not impossible.

AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA RELATIONS
--------------


4. (C) Mammadyarov said that the Armenian government needs to
understand that the current situation cannot go on forever
and that maintaining good relations with its neighbors was
important. Regarding the NK peace discussions, Mammadyarov
said that he and his Armenian counterpart have an
understanding, but that the issue remains difficult and
unpredictable. While the NK peace process was an
"educational process" to bridge differences, Mammadyarov
stated that he was optimistic in the long-term, adding that
Armenia "cannot take the land and run." Armenia, said
Mammadyarov, needs to "be part of the team." Mammadyarov was
critical of the Armenian Diaspora, saying that its members
did not know Armenia nor realize that it is an independent
state.


5. (C) Describing the NK talks as going "nowhere,"
Mammadyarov called Armenia's position on NK and the occupied
territories "old think" and said that the world had changed
and the Government of Armenia had not yet realized it. The
sooner Armenia recognizes this shift, the better, said
Mammadyarov. He compared Armenia to Russian Kaliningrad, a
southern Russian military and political stronghold.


6. (C) Mammadyarov briefed Tierney on the recent exchange of
intellectuals from Azerbaijan and Armenia (ref a). He said
that the people of both countries appear ready for peace but
there are still many sensitive political issues that need to
be resolved. Mammadyarov wondered aloud to Tierney how the
next president of Armenia, possibly the former Minister of
Defense, will view the dispute: like a general or a
politician? Mammadyarov hinted that Azerbaijan, if faced

BAKU 00000858 002 OF 002


with no other options, would consider military action to take
back NK and the occupied territories.


7. (C) As President Aliyev also described to Tierney
(septel),Mammadyarov highlighted Armenia's close
relationship with Iran and Russia. He said that Armenia
receives its natural gas supplies from Iran and that Russian
energy giant Gazprom controls most of Armenia's pipeline
network. He added that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan were all looking for "independence" from Russia
Gazprom and developing separate pipelines to the West.
Azerbaijan's long-term vision, according to Mammadyarov, is
to pursue deeper EU and Euro-Atlantic ties.

DEMOCRACY
--------------


8. (C) Mammadyarov told Tierney that democratic development
in Azerbaijan was a "process" and the GOAJ cannot "do it
quickly." He said that the GOAJ is trying to change the
population's mentality and culture, both sensitive issues.
He said that the GOAJ is making huge investments in education
reform, moving towards international and European educational
standards. The GOAJ also faces many challenges as it moves
to modernize and upgrade its schools, including finding
teachers that can teach with computers and use information
technology. Hiring qualified teachers is a challenge for the
GOAJ, according to Mammadyarov.

ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
--------------


9. (C) Mammadyarov said that successful management of the
country's energy resources is not an easy task, a situation
that is comparable to other energy rich countries.
Mammadyarov admitted that some within the GOAJ want to spend
the money quickly, disregarding the macroeconomic dangers.
He stated that he is working with the Ministers of Finance
and Economic Development, whom he characterized as being from
the same "fraternity," to utilize the country's energy
revenues wisely. Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan needs to
use its "geographic advantage" to develop its non-energy
sector. He told Tierney that Azerbaijan wants to be an
energy transit country and transportation hub for the
Caspian.

GABALA AND SECURITY
--------------


10. (C) Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan's security depends
on the United States and the U.S.-Russia dialogue, referring
to missile defense and the Gabala radar station. He said
that the announcement was good for Azerbaijan as it put the
country "on the map." He noted that the current discussions
between the U.S. and Russia were the first instance of
cooperation between the two countries in the "near abroad,"
referring to Russia's definition of former Soviet republics.
Mammadyarov told Tierney that it is important for the GOAJ
that Russia and the U.S. work together, adding that
cooperation at Gabala would be Azerbaijan's contribution to
non-proliferation issues. Mammadyarov said that Iran is
working hard in Moscow to defeat the proposal for U.S.-Russia
Gabala station cooperation.


11. (U) CODEL Tierney did not have an opportunity to clear
this message.
LU