AZERBAIJAN OPPOSES RUSSIAN MOVES TO UPGRADE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000390 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS GG RS AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN OPPOSES RUSSIAN MOVES TO UPGRADE RELATIONS WITH ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA REF: A. STATE 40673 ¶B. BAKU 376 Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador delivered ref a demarche to Foreign Minister Mammadyarov during an April 22 meeting with visiting Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs Reuben Jeffery III (other topics septel). Mammadyarov responded that Azerbaijan supports Georgia's territorial integrity and opposes Russian moves to upgrade relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Mammadyarov said that he had instructed Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov to speak out on this issue, and that Azerbaijan will support Georgian efforts in the UN and the OSCE. ¶2. (U) On April 21, Azerbaijani MFA Spokesman Khazar Ibrahim stated that "Azerbaijan supports the territorial integrity of Georgia and condemns steps violating this principle." Ibrahim also noted that the GUAM member states continue their efforts to include a resolution on the GUAM states' unresolved conflicts on the UN General Assembly agenda. He commented that adoption of this UNGA resolution would support the "just" position of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova on the issue of territorial integrity. ¶3. (C) Comment: Following Kosovo's declaration of independence, Azerbaijan and the other GUAM states have launched a concerted effort to ensure that Kosovo will not set a precedent for the GUAM states' unresolved conflicts. Azerbaijan recently hosted a high-profile, international law conference to make the case that territorial integrity should trump self-determination in resolution of the GUAM conflicts (ref b). We expect that Azerbaijan will work closely with Georgia to build international opposition to Russian moves to upgrade relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. DERSE