PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF STILL STEWING OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000511

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL; PLEASE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAID AJ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF STILL STEWING OVER
HUMAN RIGHTS CRITICISM

REF: BAKU 358

Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse per 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Summary: Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev
used a May 27 meeting with visiting NDI Regional Director
Laura Jewett and the Ambassador to lay out in stark terms the
Azerbaijani Government's continuing anger over recent public
statements by U.S. officials that were critical of
Azerbaijan's human rights record. Mehdiyev underscored that
the U.S. statements were not reflective of the strategic
partnership between the U.S. and Azerbaijan and were
particularly "insulting" given recent, undemocratic events in
Georgia and Armenia. He urged U.S. officials to share any
concerns in direct, private conversations with President
Aliyev. Mehdiyev continued to question NDI's neutrality but
agreed that his staff should meet regularly with NDI to
address any programming concerns. He pointedly did not
address NDI's concerns about the deregistration of the
Election Monitoring Center, stating only that international
and domestic partisan observers would be invited for the
October presidential election. End summary.


2. (SBU) The Ambassador accompanied National Democratic
Institute (NDI) Regional Director Laura Jewett on her May 27
introductory call on Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz
Mehdiyev, to underscore USG support for NDI's programming in
Azerbaijan. Mehdiyev was accompanied by a phalanx of aides:
International Relations Advisor Novruz Mammadov, Legal
Advisor Shahin Aliyev Law Enforcement Advisor Fuad Alasgarov,
and Policy Analysis Advisor Elnur Aslanov. Jewett was
accompanied by NDI Acting Country Director Ian Woodward; the
Ambassador was accompanied by Pol/Econ Chief (notetaker).


3. (SBU) Jewett provided an overview of NDI programs in
Azerbaijan, emphasizing that NDI supports democratic
institutions and procedures, not particular political agendas
or figures. NDI strives to be open, transparent and
responsible and to respect the sovereignty of the host
government. Jewett highlighted election monitoring as an
important signal of a government's commitment to free and
fair elections and noted that NDI was concerned by the court
verdict that deregistered and closed the Election Monitoring
Center (EMC).

NDI'S ALLEGED "PARTISAN" ACTIVITIES
--------------


4. (C) Mehdiyev said that the GOAJ would continue to
cooperate with NDI but was "puzzled" by one issue: does NDI
seek to work with the government or its opponents? "Our
experience indicates that NDI prefers to run activities
separately with our political opponents, where opposition
topics directed against the government are discussed,"
Mehdiyev alleged. "If NDI truly wants to strengthen
democratic institutions, it should work with the government.
Separate meetings with our opponents are not acceptable for
us."


5. (C) Jewett reassured Mehdiyev that NDI has no political
preferences and works with both the ruling and opposition
parties. Although NDI currently did not have many activities
planned with the government, it was happy to entertain
suggestions. Mehdiyev welcomed the offer, but insisted that
if NDI is working with political parties, it is doing
inherently political work. Jewett responded that NDI is a
political party institute and seeks to strengthen democratic
institutions and political pluralism in Azerbaijan by sharing
party experiences from throughout the world. Mehdiyev agreed
that regular meetings with NDI would be helpful and named
Presidential Political Advisor Ali Hasanov as the appropriate
interlocutor.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF WE NEED ASSISTANCE
--------------


6. (C) Mehdiyev said that Azerbaijan is a "true supporter of
democratic elections" in comparison with its neighbors.
Cataloging the violence and democratic abuses that surrounded
recent elections in Georgia and Armenia, Mehdiyev complained
that the international community had nevertheless judged
these elections free and fair. In light of the problems
surrounding Armenia's presidential election, Mehdiyev said
the Azerbaijani Government was "worried and surprised" by
Secretary Rice's statement that Azerbaijan's democratic
record lagged behind Armenia. Mehdiyev affirmed the
Azerbaijani Government's commitment to free and fair

elections and said that "if we need assistance, we will apply
to NDI, IRI and the U.S. Embassy." (Comment: Mehdiyev laid
down this tough line regarding U.S. election assistance in
early April, following the U.S. "no" vote on Azerbaijan's
UNGA resolution, reftel.) He added that the Government would
welcome observers from international organizations and that
candidates could deploy their own domestic observers. He
pointedly did not address the status of EMC.

"INSULTING" U.S. STATEMENTS
--------------


7. (C) Mehdiyev complained that recent statements by
Secretary Rice and President Bush criticizing Azerbaijan's
human rights record "insulted" the Azerbaijani people and did
not reflect the "strategic partnership" between the U.S. and
Azerbaijan. "Friends are not advised to speak this way about
their own friends. As a friend of the U.S., Azerbaijan
expects U.S. leaders to give an appropriate assessment of
Azerbaijan." He continued that the statements were "not in
line with our expectations. We are offended and these
feelings are still in our hearts." Mehdiyev also accused the
U.S. Peace Corps of violating its ban on political
activities, as evidenced by a meeting in Washington in which
the Peace Corps' Azerbaijan Country Director asked Secretary
Rice what the U.S. could do to hasten democratic reform in
Azerbaijan.

THE AMBASSADOR PUSHES BACK
--------------


8. (C) The Ambassador responded that Azerbaijan is a strong
friend and partner of the U.S. The U.S. firmly supports and
truly shares Azerbaijan's goal of maintaining its
independence and sovereignty, as this goal is in our interest
as well. She pointed to President Aliyev's joint press
conference with President Bush in April 2006, in which Aliyev
affirmed Azerbaijan's gratitude for U.S. democracy and
governance assistance, and pledged his commitment to engage
with the U.S. on political reform, as an important pillar of
our relationship. Continued disagreement over Azerbaijan's
democratic progress suggests that this is an area where we
must redouble our efforts and find constructive ways to move
forward. The upcoming visit of DRL A/S Kramer will be an
important opportunity to intensify our ongoing dialogue on
democracy and human rights.


9. (C) The Ambassador underscored that the U.S. urges all of
its partners to respect the highest standards of democracy
and human rights. The U.S. has publicly and privately
expressed concerns over events in all three Caucasus
countries; the U.S. would not be honest if it said all
problems in Azerbaijan, particularly with respect to the
media, were resolved. She noted that U.S. assistance is
designed to support Azerbaijan's own goals of promoting
democratic reform and respect for human rights, and that the
U.S. and all of its assistance partners are committed to
working transparently. The Ambassador added that Mehdiyev's
comments regarding the Peace Corps do not reflect reality.
The Peace Corps is a completely apolitical organization.

TALK TO PRESIDENT ALIYEV
--------------


10. (C) Mehdiyev responded that the strategic partnership
between Azerbaijan and the U.S. is "unshakable and
unchangeable" but given pre-election tensions in Azerbaijan,
"politicians should watch their statements." Recent messages
by U.S. leaders were "accepted in a very negative way," due
largely to the negative comparison to Armenia, "the aggressor
who occupies our land." The United States' "double standard"
toward election-related violence in Armenia is of great
concern for Azerbaijan. "Friends shoul think about the
consequences of their statements," Mehdiyev underscored.
"U.S. officials should not repeat these events in the future;
if they have concerns, they should discuss them directly with
President Aliyev."

COMMENT
--------------


11. (C) Mehdiyev used this meeting with NDI to deliver a
strong and very direct message to the U.S. Government. The
Azerbaijani Government is still clearly angry about recent
U.S. public comments critical of Azerbaijan's human rights
record. President Aliyev also reiterated the GOAJ's anger
and request for clarification in a May 30 meeting with EUR

DAS Merkel, septel. We believe that continued, high-level
engagement will be needed to help repair relations and ensure
that vital democracy and governance assistance can continue.
DERSE