AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS TEHRAN ECO SUMMIT

S E C R E T BAKU 000227 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2019 TAGS: PREL AJ IR SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS TEHRAN ECO SUMMIT REF: A) BAKU XXXXXXXXXXXX B) 2008 BAKU 1069 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: POLECON COUNSELOR ROB GARVERICK, REASON 1.5 (B and D). ¶1. (SBU) On Tuesday, March 10 Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited Tehran to formally hand-over the revolving Presidency of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to incoming President Mahmud Ahmedinejad, and to participate in the ECO summit. Heads of State from Turkey, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan also attended the meeting of this regional organization. ECO of Empty Talk -------------- ¶2. (C) While in Tehran, Aliyev and the other heads of state held separate bilateral meetings with Supreme Leader Khameini and President Ahmadinejad. The visit was treated as a "low profile" event by the Azerbaijani press, and both press and official GOAJ sources suggest that little of substance transpired. Former GOAJ National Security Advisor Vafa Guluzadeh told Iran watcher that the whole visit was little more than an "empty show." He said that Ahmadinejad and Khameini both spoke of assisting Azerbaijan in resolving its issues with Armenia, "and Ilham pretended to take them seriously." In reality, he claimed, the GOAJ is well aware that Iran has no meaningful political influence in Armenia, which he claimed "looks completely to Russia." Guluzadeh, a veteran of many ECO summits, called the organization a "useless talk shop." Alborz Rig Deployment -------------- ¶3. (S) In a March 13 meeting with Ambassador (ref a),a seemingly frustrated GOAJ Foreign Minister Mammadyarov noted that no progress was made with Iran on the Caspian delimitation issue during the visit. Mammadyarov did report that he received new assurances from Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki that the Iranian semi-submersible Alborz oil exploration rig, now undergoing testing outside the Iranian port of Neka, will not be deployed in disputed waters, but "just outside." Mammadyarov said that he warned Mottaki to keep the rig out of Azerbaijan-claimed waters. ¶4. (C) Embassy Acting DCM has requested an explicit debrief from the Foreign Ministry on the President's Iran visit and related issues. DERSE