Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BAKU185
2008-03-04 13:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
IDEAS FOR PROMOTING A U.S.-AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY
how-toVZCZCXYZ3737 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHKB #0185/01 0641327 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041327Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4851 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2668 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0832 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000185
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHUM ENRG TU AJ
SUBJECT: IDEAS FOR PROMOTING A U.S.-AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000185
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHUM ENRG TU AJ
SUBJECT: IDEAS FOR PROMOTING A U.S.-AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is a joint message from Embassies Ankara and
Baku.
2. (C) Embassy Ankara and Embassy Baku provide the following
informal suggestions to follow up with EUR A/S Fried's
December 2007 speech at the Mayflower Hotel on a strategic
partnership among the U.S, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Both
embassies brainstormed about potential steps the the U.S.
could take to implement the ideas contained in Fried's speech.
3. (C) The Embassies' informal suggestions follow and are
broken down by sector:
Context: Strengthening the level of cooperation between the
U.S., Turkey, and Azerbaijan will reinforce Azerbaijan and
Turkey,s ties to the U.S., while linking the U.S. and Turkey
more closely in their shared objective of promoting
stability, democracy, and prosperity in the Caucasus region.
- Both countries traditionally have sought increased freedom
of action vis--vis Russia. While Ankara has transformed its
relations with Moscow since the end of the Cold War --
especially with regard to trade and investment -- Turkey and
Azerbaijan have a long history of seeing Russia as a threat
to their sovereignty. U.S. steps to encourage a trilateral
partnership should take advantage of both states, concerns
to maximize their freedom of action vis--vis Russia.
- Both the U.S. and Turkey seek to bind Azerbaijan to the
West. A trilateral "strategic partnership" would augment
Turkey,s policy of helping to integrate the South Caucasus
region with Western, transatlantic institutions, while
further solidifying Turkey,s own pro-U.S., Western
orientation.
- Through the July 2006 Shared Vision document, the U.S. and
Turkey have already pledged to work together to contribute to
stability, democracy, and prosperity in the Caucasus. The
Structured Dialogue portion of the document created four new
U.S.-Turkey consultation mechanisms which, as appropriate,
can be expanded and utilized to help implement the trilateral
strategic partnership.
- An institutionalized U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan mechanism could
be a vehicle for facilitating a Turkey opening to Armenia and
managing the Turkey-Azerbaijan fallout.
Political Steps
--------------
- Create a trilateral forum led by each country,s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to advance a political, economic, and
security dialogue.
- Encourage three-way parliamentary exchanges.
- Enhance and encourage three-way judicial and legal training
and exchanges.
Trade and Investment
--------------
- Encourage joint commercial fora and trade delegations.
(Baku is a partnership post for FCS Ankara.)
- Facilitate contact among leading U.S., Turkish and
Azerbaijani business groups, such as TUSIAD, DEIK, MUSIAD,
TOBB, ATIB, AmCham, and USACC, to promote greater economic
and commercial coordination.
- Encourage Azerbaijan to work with the U.S. and Turkey to
identify areas for development that would be attractive to a
joint U.S.-Turkish business effort.
- Create a U.S.-Turkish-Azerbaijani investment forum to
discuss best practices in stimulating investment (foreign and
domestic) and new business creation. Such a forum could run
the gamut of topics from small business to large scale
investment. For small business development, it could examine
best practices for simplifying local, provincial, and
national regulations for business start-ups; for large-scale
investment, it could examine the effectiveness of tax breaks
or free trade zones. (There has already been some
consideration of a U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan economic
cooperation conference during ATC week, April 14-18.)
- Foster joint U.S.-Turkish projects to support Azerbaijani
reform in the health and education sectors. Turkish and U.S.
hospitals and universities could partner with each other and
their Azerbaijani counterparts. Doing so could create models
of excellence and would give Turkish and American commercial
interests a platform for advocating reform in both sectors.
Energy and Environment
--------------
- Create a joint U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan Energy forum to help
expedite the development and transit of Caspian gas to
Western markets. This forum could also be a vehicle to share
U.S. experiences and R&D in energy conservation and savings.
(Turkish Energy Minister Guler has already proposed such a
group to Energy Secretary Bodman.)
- Promote joint environmental cooperation projects/water
management projects.
Military
--------------
- Encourage trilateral military exercises. The exercises can
focus on building skills that Azerbaijan and Turkey identify
as priority areas, especially those related to peacekeeping.
- When appropriate, encourage more joint Azerbaijani-Turkish
military deployments abroad under a variety of auspices when
the mission advances U.S. interests (NATO umbrella).
- Turkey has excellent access to the Azerbaijani military.
Encourage the embedding of both Turkish and American officers
in the Azerbaijani military and seek to establish contacts
with Turkish officers working with the Azerbaijani military.
- Maintain and attempt to increase the number of
opportunities for Azerbaijani officers to be trained in
Turkey and the U.S.
Counterterrorism/Regional Cross-Cutting Issues
-------------- -
- Encourage U.S.-Azerbaijani-Turkish joint counterterrorism
intelligence sharing and joint CT activities. Enhanced CT
cooperation could buttress Azerbaijan,s capabilities and
understanding of the threat from religious extremists.
- Expand training of Azerbaijani officials at the
Ankara-based NATO Center of Excellence on Defense Against
Terrorism (COE-DAT).
- Enhance trilateral Trafficking-in-Persons/Drugs
Trafficking/Arms Trafficking/Counter Proliferation training
and exchanges. For example, extend additional training to
Azerbaijani law enforcement at the Turkish International
Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC).
- Provide joint training to Turkish and Azerbaijani officials
at U.S. law enforcement training academies.
Cultural/NGO
--------------
- Joint U.S.-Turkish-Azerbaijani tailored IVLPs, e.g., media,
human rights, TIP, etc.
- Free press: Journalist training, journalism scholarships,
and internships. While Ankara has been unwilling to publicly
engage Baku over democratization and press freedom, Ankara
has been prepared to engage in more training and exchanges in
this area. Supporting enhanced training and exchanges could
develop over time into a more robust dialogue.
DERSE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PHUM ENRG TU AJ
SUBJECT: IDEAS FOR PROMOTING A U.S.-AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is a joint message from Embassies Ankara and
Baku.
2. (C) Embassy Ankara and Embassy Baku provide the following
informal suggestions to follow up with EUR A/S Fried's
December 2007 speech at the Mayflower Hotel on a strategic
partnership among the U.S, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Both
embassies brainstormed about potential steps the the U.S.
could take to implement the ideas contained in Fried's speech.
3. (C) The Embassies' informal suggestions follow and are
broken down by sector:
Context: Strengthening the level of cooperation between the
U.S., Turkey, and Azerbaijan will reinforce Azerbaijan and
Turkey,s ties to the U.S., while linking the U.S. and Turkey
more closely in their shared objective of promoting
stability, democracy, and prosperity in the Caucasus region.
- Both countries traditionally have sought increased freedom
of action vis--vis Russia. While Ankara has transformed its
relations with Moscow since the end of the Cold War --
especially with regard to trade and investment -- Turkey and
Azerbaijan have a long history of seeing Russia as a threat
to their sovereignty. U.S. steps to encourage a trilateral
partnership should take advantage of both states, concerns
to maximize their freedom of action vis--vis Russia.
- Both the U.S. and Turkey seek to bind Azerbaijan to the
West. A trilateral "strategic partnership" would augment
Turkey,s policy of helping to integrate the South Caucasus
region with Western, transatlantic institutions, while
further solidifying Turkey,s own pro-U.S., Western
orientation.
- Through the July 2006 Shared Vision document, the U.S. and
Turkey have already pledged to work together to contribute to
stability, democracy, and prosperity in the Caucasus. The
Structured Dialogue portion of the document created four new
U.S.-Turkey consultation mechanisms which, as appropriate,
can be expanded and utilized to help implement the trilateral
strategic partnership.
- An institutionalized U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan mechanism could
be a vehicle for facilitating a Turkey opening to Armenia and
managing the Turkey-Azerbaijan fallout.
Political Steps
--------------
- Create a trilateral forum led by each country,s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to advance a political, economic, and
security dialogue.
- Encourage three-way parliamentary exchanges.
- Enhance and encourage three-way judicial and legal training
and exchanges.
Trade and Investment
--------------
- Encourage joint commercial fora and trade delegations.
(Baku is a partnership post for FCS Ankara.)
- Facilitate contact among leading U.S., Turkish and
Azerbaijani business groups, such as TUSIAD, DEIK, MUSIAD,
TOBB, ATIB, AmCham, and USACC, to promote greater economic
and commercial coordination.
- Encourage Azerbaijan to work with the U.S. and Turkey to
identify areas for development that would be attractive to a
joint U.S.-Turkish business effort.
- Create a U.S.-Turkish-Azerbaijani investment forum to
discuss best practices in stimulating investment (foreign and
domestic) and new business creation. Such a forum could run
the gamut of topics from small business to large scale
investment. For small business development, it could examine
best practices for simplifying local, provincial, and
national regulations for business start-ups; for large-scale
investment, it could examine the effectiveness of tax breaks
or free trade zones. (There has already been some
consideration of a U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan economic
cooperation conference during ATC week, April 14-18.)
- Foster joint U.S.-Turkish projects to support Azerbaijani
reform in the health and education sectors. Turkish and U.S.
hospitals and universities could partner with each other and
their Azerbaijani counterparts. Doing so could create models
of excellence and would give Turkish and American commercial
interests a platform for advocating reform in both sectors.
Energy and Environment
--------------
- Create a joint U.S.-Turkey-Azerbaijan Energy forum to help
expedite the development and transit of Caspian gas to
Western markets. This forum could also be a vehicle to share
U.S. experiences and R&D in energy conservation and savings.
(Turkish Energy Minister Guler has already proposed such a
group to Energy Secretary Bodman.)
- Promote joint environmental cooperation projects/water
management projects.
Military
--------------
- Encourage trilateral military exercises. The exercises can
focus on building skills that Azerbaijan and Turkey identify
as priority areas, especially those related to peacekeeping.
- When appropriate, encourage more joint Azerbaijani-Turkish
military deployments abroad under a variety of auspices when
the mission advances U.S. interests (NATO umbrella).
- Turkey has excellent access to the Azerbaijani military.
Encourage the embedding of both Turkish and American officers
in the Azerbaijani military and seek to establish contacts
with Turkish officers working with the Azerbaijani military.
- Maintain and attempt to increase the number of
opportunities for Azerbaijani officers to be trained in
Turkey and the U.S.
Counterterrorism/Regional Cross-Cutting Issues
-------------- -
- Encourage U.S.-Azerbaijani-Turkish joint counterterrorism
intelligence sharing and joint CT activities. Enhanced CT
cooperation could buttress Azerbaijan,s capabilities and
understanding of the threat from religious extremists.
- Expand training of Azerbaijani officials at the
Ankara-based NATO Center of Excellence on Defense Against
Terrorism (COE-DAT).
- Enhance trilateral Trafficking-in-Persons/Drugs
Trafficking/Arms Trafficking/Counter Proliferation training
and exchanges. For example, extend additional training to
Azerbaijani law enforcement at the Turkish International
Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC).
- Provide joint training to Turkish and Azerbaijani officials
at U.S. law enforcement training academies.
Cultural/NGO
--------------
- Joint U.S.-Turkish-Azerbaijani tailored IVLPs, e.g., media,
human rights, TIP, etc.
- Free press: Journalist training, journalism scholarships,
and internships. While Ankara has been unwilling to publicly
engage Baku over democratization and press freedom, Ankara
has been prepared to engage in more training and exchanges in
this area. Supporting enhanced training and exchanges could
develop over time into a more robust dialogue.
DERSE