ACTION REQUEST: AZERBAIJAN REQUESTS CONFIRMATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000279 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS AJ SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: AZERBAIJAN REQUESTS CONFIRMATION OF MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS' SUPPORT FOR ITS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY REF: A. BAKU 275 ¶B. AMBASSADOR DERSE/BRYZA EMAIL OF 3/20/08 Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request; see para 5. ¶2. (SBU) On March 19, the Embassy received a diplomatic note from the GOAJ, requesting that the U.S. "confirm officially and in written form its adherence to respect and support of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders." The Embassy faxed a copy of the diplomatic note to EUR/CARC. ¶3. (C) The Russian and French Embassies also received identical notes, although there appears to have been some confusion regarding delivery of the French note. Russian Ambassador Vasili Istratov told the Ambassador that on March 25, Moscow has instructed him to respond bilaterally, simply reconfirming as valid the position on Azerbaijan's territorial integrity used in four previous statements signed by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia between 2001 and ¶2006. Istratov said he has been instructed only to reconfirm, not restate, this language affirming Russia's respect for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and borders. ¶4. (C) Comment: The GOAJ dipnote came in the context last week of senior GOAJ officials -- including President Aliyev, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov -- hailing the importance of the March 7 resolution supporting Azerbaijan,s territorial integrity (ref a). In a March 19 interview that was widely covered in the local press, President Aliyev characterized the UNGA vote as "a diplomatic and political victory" that is "a manifestation of our political might." The views of the general public largely appear to mirror the GOAJ's line that the resolution was a victory for Azerbaijan. Few Embassy contacts have echoed Azerbaijani DFM Azimov,s call for the leadership of the OSCE Minsk Group to be reconsidered. However, the Karabakh Liberation Organization -- a fringe group with a track record of opposing the Minsk Group -- on March 19 sent a letter to the Ambassador (as well as the Russian Ambassador and French Charge D'Affaires),protesting the U.S. vote against Azerbaijan's UNGA resolution and demanding that the U.S. step down from its Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship because of its "non-objective" position toward Azerbaijan (copy faxed to EUR/CARC). ¶5. (C) Action Request: We request the Department,s guidance on the response to the GOAJ's diplomatic note seeking "official and written confirmation of U.S. support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders." The Russian Ambassador shared a copy of the Russian reply to the GOAJ on March 25 (faxed to EUR/CARC). DERSE