EMBASSY BAKU INFORMATION ON THE OIC SUMMIT IN DAKAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000210 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO/UNP E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018 TAGS: PREL AORC SG OIC AJ SUBJECT: EMBASSY BAKU INFORMATION ON THE OIC SUMMIT IN DAKAR REF: A. BAKU 00204 ¶B. STATE 23596 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Joan Polaschik for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Per ref a, poloff informed the MFA of Sada Cumber's recent appointment. The Embassy also has communicated Cumber's interest in meeting with either Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov or Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikov. Both Azerbaijani officials will be at the conference on March 13-14. The Embassy also has shared the phone numbers for Ambassador Christopher Ross and Special Envoy Sada Cumber with the MFA. The MFA POC for the Azerbaijani delegation is Elmar Alizada, who can be reached at 994-55-550-2020. ¶2. (C) The MFA has not confirmed whether either Mammadyarov or Sadikov is available for a meeting, although the GOAJ typically does not confirm meetings until the day before or day of the requested meeting. Alizada suggested that the Azerbaijani side likely would be interested in meeting Special Envoy Cumber. The Embassy recommends the U.S. delegation contact Alizada on March 12 to push for a precise meeting date and time. ¶3. (C) Azerbaijan chaired the OIC Foreign Ministers' Conference from June 2006 through June 2007. During its chairmanship, the GOAJ said it was interested in transforming the OIC into a results-oriented organization and using it as a vehicle for promoting religious tolerance. The GOAJ has said it supports the U.S. goal of building better relations between the U.S. and the OIC. The GOAJ also hosted an April 2007 conference on the role of the media in promoting tolerance. Now that Azerbaijan,s Chairmanship of the OIC Foreign Ministers, Conference has ended, it is unclear how much influence Azerbaijan exerts within the OIC. Azerbaijani officials have hinted that they have faced strong pressure from neighboring Iran when the GOAJ has attempted to push a moderate agenda within the OIC. We believe one of the GOAJ's primary goals vis-a-vis the OIC is to secure additional multilateral support for its position on Nagorno-Karabakh. ¶4. (C) The Embassy suggests that Cumber ask the GOAJ for its future priorities as an OIC member, focusing on Baku's concrete plans. The Embassy also requests that Cumber consider a follow-on visit to Baku in the near future to build on the GOAJ's committment to be a force for moderation and reform within the OIC. DERSE